Newberg-Dundee Bypass advocates are still awaiting Gov. Ted Kulongoski's signature on a state transportation package allocating $192 million for the project's first phase.

But Oregon Department of Transportation officials have already begun informal discussions with the Federal Highway Administration on how to incorporate that development into an Environmental Impact Statement targeted for completion next spring.

A location EIS has already been completed and approved. Officials are now working on a design EIS.

However, the design EIS considers the 11-mile project as a whole. It doesn't take into account the phased approach embraced by the Legislature in the transportation package approved earlier this month.

ODOT spokesman Adam Torgerson said FHWA officials are recommending the state modify the EIS to reflect House Bill 2001.

"The federally required environmental studies must be completed before we can proceed, so finishing the Environmental Impact Statement is the next step," Torgerson said. "This is the big picture."

ODOT has asked the FHWA to delay its legal review of the document-in-progress until it can incorporate the necessary changes.

Torgerson termed the changes relatively small, but said officials need to conduct a thorough, in-house study of the legislation to make sure it gets everything right. "It's mostly just issues where we address funding and go back and address what House Bill 2001 means," he said.

While ODOT is projecting an April 2010 completion date for the EIS, with adoption of a Record of Decision making it a done deal by next summer, that depends at least to some extent on the volume and nature of comments submitted during hearings slated later this year, following release of the state's final draft version. The agency hopes to conduct those hearings in August or September.

Further tweaking may be necessary, based on what citizens have to say in the hearings, which prevents ODOT from committing to a firm timetable.

"We don't want to presuppose what will come out of the public comment period," Torgerson said, "because that can change the project."

ODOT had delegated preparation of the EIS largely to the environmental consulting firm Parametrix. However, it has reportedly begun to commit more of its own resources in order to speed up the process, in light of the appropriation breakthrough.

Meanwhile, right-of-way acquisition continues. Thus far, ODOT has purchased nine properties, most in the northern segment covered in the first-phase appropriation.

The state has $18.2 million in federal money remaining for acquisition, and the transportation package allocates $87 million for the rest.

"We're looking at what makes the most sense for us to purchase," Torgeson said. "We want to make sure we strategically purchase properties."