Pinyon was retained to provide support on the project’s corridor mitigation study, which resulted in a list of prioritized projects and conceptual designs for CDOT. Pinyon was the lead environmental consultant on the study. As part of their role, Pinyon prepared corridor base mapping documenting existing environmental conditions; developed a project mitigation list; and provided the environmental data for inclusion in an evaluation matrix being used to support planning, prioritization, design, and implementation. Specifically, Pinyon conducted a desktop assessment and preliminary site reconnaissance to determine how project alternatives accommodate elements of the environment, including cultural resources, threatened and endangered species, and potential Waters of the US. The desktop and in-field review included an analysis of wildlife habitat suitability within the Raton Pass corridor, which helped identify suitable mitigation locations, as well as areas of habitat that may be potentially suitable to threatened and endangered species. Pinyon’s continued support of the project included the development of the I-25 Raton Pass Mitigation Prioritization Study Report and assistance with the prioritization and screening of the mitigation locations.
