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System Planning for States

The System Planning for States (SPS) module provides criteria to self-evaluate system-level planning and programming policies, processes, procedures and practices. The SPS module is geared towards States, Tollways and local agencies that perform landscape-scale and corridor-wide planning and that typically own infrastructure.

System Planning for Regions

The System Planning for Regions (SPR) module provides criteria to self-evaluate system-level planning and programming policies, processes, procedures and practices. The SPR module is geared towards Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Council of Governments, or other planning organizations that perform landscape-scale planning for a regional area (and that typically do not own infrastructure).

Project Development

The Project Development (PD) module provides criteria to self-evaluate the development of a specific project. It covers activities throughout project-specific planning, design, and construction.

Operations and Maintenance

The Operations and Maintenance (OM) module provides criteria to self-evaluate an agency's internal administration and operations and maintenance policies, processes, procedures and practices.

Welcome to INVEST Version 1.3!

Announcements

INVEST, the DOT Sustainable Highways Self-Evaluation Tool

INVEST (Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool) is a web-based self-evaluation tool comprised of voluntary sustainability best practices, called criteria, which cover the full lifecycle of transportation services, including system planning, project planning, design, and construction, and continuing through operations and maintenance. FHWA developed INVEST for voluntary use by transportation agencies to assess and enhance the sustainability of their projects and programs.

To accomplish this, the INVEST criteria are divided into four modules: System Planning for States (SPS), System Planning for Regions (SPR), Project Development (PD), and Operations and Maintenance (OM). These four sets of criteria comprise a comprehensive self-evaluation tool to aid agencies in evaluating the sustainability performance of their projects and programs. The SPS, SPR, and OM modules are intended for evaluating an agency's programs and the PD module is for the evaluation of projects, from early project planning through construction. Each module is independent and is evaluated separately. The PD module consists of multiple scorecards designed to recognize the varying scope, scale, and context of projects across the country.

Although many agency and project efforts can already be considered sustainable, INVEST is focused on "above and beyond" efforts. No points are earned in INVEST for sustainability efforts that are typically required for federally-funded programs and projects. For instance, there are no points available for completing NEPA documentation because it is required for federally-funded projects.

INVEST aims to continually “raise the bar” in the field of transportation – as efforts defined as above-and-beyond become standard practice, INVEST will update criteria in an effort to improve sustainability outcomes in the field of transportation.

The INVEST Version 1.3 website provides users a wide range of information, tools, and resources. Users can:

  • Read more ABOUT INVEST,
  • LEARN about sustainable highways and INVEST,
  • Browse the CRITERIA,
  • SCORE projects and programs using the INVEST criteria, and
  • Access many RESOURCES, such as case studies, Innovative Criterion examples, and a INVEST User Toolkit.