Sustainable Highways Initiative

FHWA Steps Up Efforts to Tackle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Highway Construction with $7.1 Million for ‘Climate Challenge’ Participants (10-2022)
The U.S. Department of Transportation continue ongoing work to address climate change, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced $7.1 million for 25 state departments of transportation involved in FHWA’s Climate Challenge. FHWA launched the Climate Challenge Initiative in early 2022 to quantify the impacts of sustainable pavements and to demonstrate ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in highway projects using sustainable construction materials.

Historic Step: All Fifty States Plus D.C. and Puerto Rico Greenlit to Move EV Charging Networks Forward, Covering 75,000 Miles of Highway (9-2022)
The Biden-Harris Administration announced it has approved Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans for all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. Making electric vehicles and EV charging accessible to all Americans is critical to fighting the climate crisis and is generating an electric vehicle manufacturing boom across the country.

On Nationwide Building a Better America Tour, FHWA Acting Administrator Announces Funding from President Biden’s Infrastructure Law for New Pathways to Equity Project in Pittsburgh (8-2022)
The Biden-Harris Administration awarded a $11.3 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to revitalize the Hill District neighborhood. The project will improve pedestrian infrastructure and make other enhancements to safely connect low-income residents to transit hubs and employment opportunities. New electric vehicle charging options and stormwater infrastructure upgrades will contribute to environmental sustainability.

Biden Administration Announces New PROTECT Formula Program, $7.3 Billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Help Communities Build Resilient Infrastructure (7-2022)
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced new guidance and $7.3 billion in formula funding to help states and communities better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events like wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat. This continues as an ongoing effort to combat the effects of climate change and address the growing costs of extreme weather events negatively impacting communities around the United States.

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Step Forward to Combat Climate Change, Announces Proposed Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Framework (7-2022)
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for states and municipalities to track and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) makes available more than $27 billion in federal funding to help State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) meet their declining GHG targets.

Addressing Climate Change: A look inside Minnesota Clean Energy and Connectivity Projects (7-2022)
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is exploring how new clean energy and connectivity projects can leverage the full value and productivity of existing highway right-of-way to meet sustainability and clean energy goals.

Doing the Right Thing: Building a Road and Preserving a Community—The Newtown Pike Extension Project (4-2022)
Unique community involvement, temporary housing, and a community land trust successfully ensure environmental justice and equity for a roadway construction project in Lexington, KY.

Carbon Reduction Program Guidance (4-2022)
The BIL authorizes a new Carbon Reduction Program to reduce transportation emissions. Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Implementation Guidance provides information on funding, eligible activities, and requirements of the CRP.

Cultivating Materials Science Research to Benefit Surface Transportation 2022 Update (1-2022)
To combat the wear and tear that bridges and highways face, researchers explore how to build durable and longer lasting structures and pavements. Materials science, a multidisciplinary field that studies the production and use of materials through the lenses of chemistry, physics, and engineering, proves to be a viable route to advance this research.

Machine Learning and Pozzolans for Concrete for Highway Pavements and Structures (1-2022)
As coal by-products become more scarce, due to the transition from coal-based fuel sources to natural gas, ongoing research related to the pursuit of alternatives continue. This ensures the sustainability of our Nation’s roadway infrastructure.

FHWA Sustainable Transportation Website

Eco-logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects

FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program