Lecture 8 - Sustainability In Transportation Planning And Project Development

Sustainable Transportation Curriculum for Universities

Slide 1

LECTURE 8: Sustainability in Transportation Planning and Project Development

Slide 2

Transportation Planning and Delivery Process

Long-range transportation planning Develop a vision for transportation investments Short-range transportation planning Use capital programming to match priority projects with funds Project-level planning Identify project needs, community concerns, and potential solutions Project-level environmental review Elaborate review to consider impact on environment, guided by regulations Design, land acquisition, and permitting Prepare engineering plans, purchase right of way, and obtain permits		Planning and Project Development
Construction, maintenance, and operations Build it and keep it working

Slide 3

Linking to Sustainability Goals

• The table provides a list of sustainability goals introduced previously
• Each focus area — such as planning and project development — must have its own objectives and measures
• The following slides present example objectives and measures for the planning and development focus areas for each goal

Slide 4

GOAL 1: Provide a Safe Transportation System for Users and the Public

Planning

Objective
Reduce the severity of crashes

Measure
Change in the number and severity of crashes

Example
Annual number of severe or incapacitating injuries on all roads

Project development

Objective
Develop project with explicit safety considerations

Measure
Selected project design has highest reduction out of all alternatives

Example
Use of engineering measures (wildlife-proof fencing, escape ramps, and one-way gates) to keep elk (and other animals) off the highway

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 5

GOAL 2: Provide a Transportation System That Offers Accessibility That Allows People to Fulfill at Least Their Basic Needs

Planning

Objective
Ensure accessibility to jobs

Measure
Change in number of jobs within reasonable travel time for region's people

Example
Number of jobs accessible by auto and transit within 15, 30, and 45 minutes

Project development

Objective
Develop projects that increase access to essential destinations

Measure
Change in travel time to schools, health services, grocery stores, civic and public spaces, and recreation due to selected project alternative

Example
Travel mode splits, travel times, and delay by county and major corridor and by regional geography (including designated centers)

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 6

GOAL 3: Provide Options That Allow Affordable and Equitable Transportation Options for All Sections of Society

Planning

Objective
Ensure accessibility to jobs and essential destinations for all communities

Measure
Relative change in the level of access for disadvantaged populations to jobs, schools, health services, grocery stores, civic and public spaces, and recreation

Example
Access and travel time to essential destinations by auto and transit

Project development

Objective
Develop transportation projects that improve transportation equitably

Measure
Ratio of disadvantaged to non-disadvantaged population experiencing negative impacts of transportation (noise, air quality, and neighborhood fragmentation)

Example
Displacement from projects

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 7

GOAL 4: Ensure That the Transportation System's Functionality and Efficiency Are Maintained and Enhanced

Planning

Objective
Ensure that transportation options are efficient for all users

Measure
Change in travel time index by mode

Example
Travel time index calculated as the ratio of travel time in the peak period to travel time in free flow

Project development

Objective
Develop projects that maintain or improve the functionality of the transportation system for all users

Measure
Change in volume/capacity ratio (congestion reduction per unit [lane mile]) due to project

Example
Volume-to-capacity ratio (V/C)

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 8

GOAL 5: Ensure That the Transportation System Is Secure from, Ready for, and Resilient to Threats from All Hazards

Planning

Objective
Protect transportation users, agency personnel, and critical infrastructure

Measure
Change in share of agency staff receiving appropriate emergency training

Example
Percent of mass transit and passenger rail agencies that have effectively implemented industry agreed-upon security and emergency management actions to improve security

Project development

Objective
Program projects that prevent incidents within a transportation agency's control and responsibility

Measure
Change in level of redundancy for critical passenger/freight infrastructure

Example
Prioritize system redundancy plans according to the agency's strategy

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 9

GOAL 6: Ensure That the Transportation System's Development and Operation Support Economic Development and Prosperity

Planning

Objective
Support growth in jobs by improving travel efficiency/reducing congestion

Measure
Change in travel delay at major freight bottlenecks by mode

Example
Travel time on freight-significant corridors. Travel time index calculated as the ratio of travel time in the peak period to travel time in free flow

Project development

Objective
Develop projects that support growth in jobs and income by improving access to markets and factors of production (labor and raw materials)

Measure
Change in population within user-defined proximity to access controlled four-lane highway facilities, air cargo service, scheduled air service, intercity bus service, intercity rail service, and so forth

Example
Number of national/international air destinations served by nonstop flights

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 10

GOAL 7: Ensure the Economic Feasibility of Transportation Investments over Time

Planning

Objective
Ensure that financial burdens borne by transportation users are shared equitably

Measure
Cost per user/vehicle/household of taxes/fees dedicated to transportation

Example
Taxes paid

Project development

Objective
Ensure that the expected value of social and economic benefits created by proposed transportation programs/projects exceeds their cost

Measure
Project-level cost/benefit ratio for proposed programs, including freight

Example
Use of a cost/benefit ratio for project selection

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 11

GOAL 8: Protect and Enhance Environmental and Ecological Systems While Developing and Operating Transportation Systems

Planning

Objective
Ensure that environmental and ecological systems are free of contaminants and pollutants

Measure
Existence of an agency-wide environmental management system

Example
Environmental management system covers the department of public works, parks maintenance, and engineering

Project development

Objective
Develop projects that maintain and improve quantity and quality of water and aquatic ecosystems

Measure
Change in number (percentage) of projects designed to maintain or improve water quantity or quality

Example
Mimic predevelopment hydrological conditions in the right of way

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 12

GOAL 9: Reduce Waste Generated by Transportation-Related Activities

Planning

Objective
Ensure that assets are managed to reduce life-cycle cost and increase useful life

Measure
An asset management system exists

Example
Tracking pavement performances to make pavements last longer by preserving and maintaining them

Project development

Objective
Increase the percentage of waste diverted (from landfill) from transportation projects

Measure
Change in the percentage of projects with a recycling plan or waste diversion goal

Example
Utilize an accounting and management plan for road construction waste materials, and minimize the amount of construction-related waste destined for landfill

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 13

GOAL 10: Reduce the Use of Nonrenewable Resources and Promote the Use of Renewable Replacements

Planning

Objective
Purchase sustainable materials as a priority

Measure
Existence of purchasing plan establishing priority for sustainable materials

Example
Promoting the use of environmentally preferable products in the city's acquisition of goods and services

Project development

Objective
Use renewable energy to provide project power

Measure
Change in percentage of renewable energy, in kWh, created in relation to project energy requirements in a project

Example
Reduce the consumption of fossil fuels during operation of highway illumination

Slide 14

GOAL 11: Reduce Transportation-Related Emissions of Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases

Planning

Objective
Increase street connectivity

Measure
Change in street connectivity index

Example
Increasing roadway connectivity will reduce the amount of pollutant emissions created from vehicles

Project development

Objective
Develop projects that reduce pollutant emissions (travel, trip length, mode split, and emissions)

Measure
Change in percentage of commercial vehicles by EPA tier compliance

Example
Reduce air emissions from non-road construction equipment by encouraging early achievement of the EPA Tier 4 emission standard

Source: NCHRP Report 708: A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598

Slide 15 [end]

LECTURE 8: Sustainability in Transportation Planning and Project Development

 

 

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