Your EIA in action.

east / west arterial environmental impact assessment

Your EIA in action.

east / west arterial environmental impact assessment

The EWA is more than just a road extension. It’s the optimal solution to enhance connectivity between the eastern and western sides of our island, ensure future infrastructure needs can be met in Grand Cayman, and improve the resilience of our road infrastructure during natural disasters.

Edward Howard, Jr., MSCE, Managing Director – NRA

about the project

The East-West Arterial (EWA) extension project is the optimal solution to address the increasing traffic requirements, providing for connectivity between eastern and western sides of the island, and increasing resilience of the road infrastructure in case of natural disasters. This new roadway provides a more resilient and accessible link between Hirst Road and Frank Sound Road to benefit local travel and quality of life.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a multi-disciplinary scientific study that evaluates the potential effects of a proposed project. The EIA for the EWA aims to provide specific project information for decision making by the Cayman Islands Government. The areas of focus for an EIA include social, cultural, ecological, mobility, and transportation. EIAs and similar studies are used in many countries, for many types of projects in sectors as diverse as tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and others.

What is the purpose of an EIA?

What are the EIA facts?

What are the study areas?

Key elements of an EIA

To identify, predict, and consider the likely impacts of a project on the environment and human health. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) serve as a valuable tool for understanding how a project will affect people and the environment before making a decision to go ahead.

  1. Identification of Impacts

    The EIA process begins with the identification of important environmental and social resources (receptors) associated potential impacts that may result from the proposed project.
  2. Alternatives Analysis

    The EIA explores and presents reasonable alternatives to achieve the goals of the proposed project.
  3. Assessments

    Once potential impacts are identified, the EIA assesses their magnitude, extent, and significance.
  4. Mitigation Measures

    The EIA can also identify measures to mitigate or minimize adverse environmental impacts.
  5. Environmental Statement

    The EIA process concludes with the creation of an Environmental Statement (ES), which includes a detailed account of the EIA process, methodologies, findings, and recommendations. It is a public document and is the basis for a community discussion of a proposed project.

Why do we do EIAs and why are they important?

Protect

Preserve

Conserve

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are conducted to provide a comprehensive review of the potential effect of projects on the surrounding natural and human environments. The main purpose of an EIA is to provide decision makers with scientifically grounded information about a proposed development, potential alternatives, and likely environmental impacts resulting from the project alternatives.