This project will be completed as a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study, a “pre-National Environmental Policy Act” (NEPA) planning study method to streamline the subsequent NEPA process developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Work completed in the PEL study carries over into NEPA process, which provides additional time for Purpose and Need development, data collection, alternatives identification, alternatives assessment, and providing more opportunities for involvement of the agency, stakeholders, and the public. It is anticipated that the Will County Division of Transportation, with the assistance of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Bureau of Local Roads, will proceed with a formal NEPA study (Phase I) for the Wilmington-Peotone Corridor following the completion of the PEL study to satisfy NEPA requirements.