So far, the conclusions are that any feasible bypass would need to be aligned around the south and west portions of the City of lone, rather than the north and east sides. For a number of reasons past studies have concluded that separate 'interim' and 'ultimate' Bypasses might be necessary to maintain traffic flow within available funding. In other words a temporary road built for motorists, while the final bypass is completed. The Amador County Transportation Commission (ACTC) has initiated a three-phase process to advance the lone or 'Interim West' Bypass through the necessary environmental documents and project approval. This work includes describing and adopting a specific route that is preserved and protected in advance of future developments, and also includes developing funding strategies to pay for the route. ACTC conducted a comprehensive consultant selection process that involved staff from the City of lone (City) and the County of Amador (County).

Out of the process Dokken Engineering was hired to complete Phase 1. Specifically, the purpose of Phase 1 is to determine the feasibility of obtaining a successful route adoption that has the approval of the City of lone, the County of Amador, the Amador County Transportation Commission, local land owners, and the affected communities. To ensure the wise expenditure of the limited amount of regional traffic impact fee dollars collected locally from builders, it is critical to the planning of the bypass project that all potential planning, environmental, design, and permitting issues are formally identified upfront, and a determination made if any 'fatal flaws' exist. This must be done prior to authorizing the formal environmental compliance documents and more-specific engineering plans that will be necessary for a route to be specified and formally adopted. If, at the conclusion of Phase I, ACTC, the City, and the County determine that completing environmental documents and adopting a route is feasible, and desired, ACTC will authorize Dokken Engineering to proceed to the remaining phases of work. During the months to come, Dokken Engineering will be working closely with the community and staff from the City of lone, the County of Amador, and ACTC.

This work will include defining the 'Purpose and Need,' specifying alternative alignments" and evaluating those potential alternatives using criteria that the study will also develop. At the Ione City Council meeting just hours after the Board of Supervisors meeting another question came into play when a comparison was made to the Sutter Creek Bypass. How has Sutter Creek changed since the introduction of the bypass, and would Ione have the same impacts? Charles Field, executive director of ACTC, responded to that question directly, stating that the issues are not as “serious as the rumors have it” and unlike the Sutter Creek’s bypass which was intended to carry traffic around the city, Ione’s bypass is intended not only to serve regional traffic but also to service new development. Supervisor Richard Forster also commented on the bypass, saying that most of the people in Sutter Creek have been bettered by the bypass, and that Ione has a golf course so there will still be a flow of outside traffic. Prior to beginning this work, the City, County, and ACTC are co-hosting a Community Workshop. This workshop will be held: Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. lone Jr. High School Auditorium 450 S. Mill Street, Ione. Interested members of the public are strongly encouraged to attend