I-255/Fish Lake Interchange Access Justification

Burns & McDonnell completed an access justification study for a proposed new interchange on I-255 in Columbia, Ill., to serve an emerging 2,600-acre industrial and commercial zone. Burns & McDonnell prepared land use and trip generation forecasts for the build and no-build scenarios. Traffic counts, traffic assignment and capacity analyses were performed to evaluate the adequacy of the existing road network and determine the operational benefits and impacts of the proposed new access. Burns & McDonnell estimated travel time and delay savings attributable to the interchange and prepared a geometric concept and cost-estimate for the interchange. An environmental reconnaissance was performed to identify key NEPA issues.