Sustainable Highways Initiative

FHWA Initiatives

	Call for Presentations: Transportation Resilience 2019 (3-2019) FHWA is soliciting presentations for the International Conference on Resilience to Natural Hazards and Extreme Weather Events to be held in November 2019. The conference will focus on emerging best practices and research results on how to adapt surface transportation networks to the potential impacts of natural disasters and extreme weather events.
	INVEST Used in Florida Regional Transportation Planning (2-2019) MetroPlan Orlando utilized FHWA’s Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) to evaluate health and sustainability in the agency’s regional transportation plan. The results of the evaluation informed a summit that gathered 60 community leaders and led to the development of three white papers. Health & Sustainability White Paper Series MetroPlan Orlando - Integrating Health and Sustainability Principles into Transportation Planning
	Nominations for New Alternative Fuel Corridor Designations Opened by FHWA (10-2018) FHWA announced the opening of nominations for the third round of Alternative Fuel Corridor designations. The process seeks to add to the 58 designated Interstate corridors in 44 states that were included under the first two rounds of the program. Nominations are due on Jan. 31, 2019.

	Nature-Based Resilience Projects in Maine and New Hampshire (10-2018) Green infrastructure solutions for coastal highway resilience in Maine and New Hampshire are detailed in a report by FHWA. The study analyzes the potential of a range of green infrastructure techniques to protect two highways (one in each State) from coastal flooding. The ecological and financial costs and benefits were evaluated, and the report provided options for each State to consider.
	Nebraska Undergoes NEPA Assignment (9-2018) FHWA has announced that the Nebraska Department of Transportation will be assigned federal environmental review responsibilities related to highway projects that fall under categorical exclusions. The memorandum of understanding describes how the program will be implemented under the National Environmental Policy Act.
	FHWA Releases Tool for Sharing State Public Involvement Resources (5-2018) A new tool developed by FHWA compiles public involvement resources from State transportation agencies. The tool links to resources from each State agency, such as NEPA public involvement resources, environmental justice policy statements, and Native American tribal consultation resources.
	Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool Updated (4-2018) FHWA has announced the release of Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) Version 1.3. This update includes minor edits, criteria clarifications, and fixes to broken resource hyperlinks.
	How Truck Platooning Works (1-2018) This article explains how onboard computers are used to connect trucks and allow vehicle-to-vehicle communications, and enable management of traffic by clustering trucks together. Tests show that platooning allows trucks to adjust to better follow the lead vehicle at a desired distance. Truck platooning can improve the flow of both freight traffic, and regular vehicle traffic, thereby reducing the emissions from idling engines.
	FHWA Pilot Program for Resilience and Durability to Extreme Weather (12-2017) FHWA has launched a pilot program that will partner with State DOTs, MPOs, Tribal governments, and Federal Lands Management Agencies to deploy one of the following three resiliency solutions: 1. Integration of resilience and durability into agency practices; 2. Utilizing current tools and resources to perform vulnerability and risk assessments of transportation systems and projects; or 3. Deploying and monitoring the performance of aa resilience solution.

Going Solar at the Speed of Light: State DOTs turn to solar to save money. Transportation agencies have high electric bills from lighting roads and operating maintenance shops. Since they also own land along roads that get plenty of sunshine, some state DOTs are using public-private partnerships to install solar panels. The solar panels help to reduce those electric bills while also generating clean energy. Graph shows the approximate highway solar energy capacity in megawatts: 2008 (.10); 2009 (.12); 2010 (.25); 2011 (.41); 2012 (2.71); 2013 (2.71), 2014 (2.72); 2015 (5.18); 2016 (5.25); 2017 (5.25); and 2018 (planned: 7.61). Photo shows a solar panel installation along a highway.

	FHWA Publishes Environmental Justice State of the Practice Reports (3-2019) Two new reports on environmental justice in highway programs have been issued by FHWA. These reports describe how State DOTs and MPOs are addressing environmental justice concerns based on a review of all 52 State DOTs and a sample of 100 MPOs. The report includes commonly applied techniques and new environmental justice strategies, such as stakeholder engagement, benefits-costs assessments, and techniques for identifying and understanding the needs of environmental justice populations. Addressing Changing Demographics in Environmental Justice Analysis, State of the Practice Environmental Justice Analysis in Transportation Planning and Programming: State of the Practice
	Collection of State DOT Pollinator-Friendly Practices (2-2019) FHWA published an updated list of pollinator-friendly practices in roadside vegetation management. This list contains practices from 33 State DOTs and provides information on pollinator habitat programs, guidelines, and project enhancements.
	Wildlife Crossing Workshop and Peer Exchange Report (2-2019) A summary report has been published by FHWA for an Eco-Logical workshop focused on wildlife crossings. Attendees of the workshop shared information on wildlife data collection techniques and crossing options.

	Using Eco-Logical for Project Delivery (1-2019) The January 2019 issue of FHWA’s Successes in Stewardship newsletter highlights state of the practice for the Eco-Logical approach. The Eco-Logical approach organizes current methods for addressing natural resource identification, avoidance, minimization and mitigation into a systematic, step-wise process that starts at the beginning of the transportation planning process and concludes with establishing programmatic approaches to recurring natural resource issues that are implemented at the project level. The newsletter also provides examples of the tool’s approach and its benefits, as well as uses by agencies to accelerate project delivery.
	Climate Resilience in Transportation Report (1-2019) FHWA released an updated summary of the ways the administration, State DOTs, and regions are incorporating climate resilience into their planning processes.
	Life Cycle Planning in Asset Management Handbook (1-2019) FHWA published a handbook on utilizing life cycle planning to support transportation asset management. Life cycle planning is a process to estimate the cost of managing an asset class, or asset sub-group, over its whole life with consideration for minimizing cost while preserving or improving the condition. This handbook provides guidance on how to implement life cycle planning for bridges and pavements.
	Updated Guide on Renewable Energy in Highway ROWs (1-2019) An updated guide for energy projects in highway rights-of-way has been released by FHWA. This guide provides State DOTs and FHWA division offices with the relevant FHWA requirements and required approvals. It also includes reports from a recent peer exchange in Maryland focused on this topic.
	Guidance for Total Emissions Reduction Measure (12-2018) FHWA recently published guidance for calculating total emissions reduction measures to assess on-road mobile source emissions under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program. This guidance includes a calculation formula and frequently asked questions.
	Transportation Resilience & Alternative Fuels Featured in FHWA Newsletter (11-2018) FHWA’s latest issue of its Air Quality and Sustainability Highlights newsletter highlights coastal resilience projects in Maine and New Hampshire and provides details on alternative fuel corridor nominations, and future air quality and sustainability events.
	Alternative Fuel Corridors FAQ Document (11-2018) FHWA issued a new Q&A document regarding provisions within the FAST Act for alternative fuel corridor designations. The document covers questions about the three rounds of designations, fuel types, signage, and technical assistance resources.

Close-up photograph of a layer of thick road cement being laid by a construction crew

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	FHWA Sustainable Transportation Website
	Eco-logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects
	FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program

	FHWA Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) Website
	FHWA INVEST 1.0 Self Evaluation Tool
	FHWA Livability Webpage
	FHWA Operational Performance Measurement Program
	FHWA Pavements Webpage
	FHWA Planning and Environmental Linkages
	FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects
	FHWA Website on Renewable Energy on Highway Right-of-Way

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