Sustainable Highways Initiative

FHWA Initiatives

	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.
	Call for Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) Nominations (10-2017) The Federal Highway Administration has called for nominations for the 2017 Alternative Fuels Corridor. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requires that the Secretary of Transportation must identify short- and long-term need, and location for, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along national highways to improve the mobility of passenger and commercial vehicles that employ renewable and low-carbon fuels across the country. Nominations are due by close of business on November 30, 2017. Contact Diane Turchetta at 202-493-0158 or Diane.Turchetta@dot.gov for more information.

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.

	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.
	Analysis of Wildlife-Vehicle Conflicts in California (9-2018) A report and webtool have been released by the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis on wildlife-vehicle (WVC) conflict in California. The report details the WVC hotspots located between 2015 and 2017, and provides several recommendations for reducing incidents. These strategies include data sharing between State agencies, and analysis and integration of WVC data in the planning of roadway projects before they are approved.
	Coastal Green Infrastructure in Delaware (7-2018) FHWA has published a report on a pilot project with the Delaware DOT to develop coastal green infrastructure, particularly in areas susceptible to coastal and urban runoff. Along sections of Delaware State Route 1, Delaware DOT plans to install a sand dune levee, add an oyster reef and oyster bag stabilization, build a tidal marsh, and replace an existing storm drain outfall.

	CMAQ Performance Plans for MPOs (7-2018) FHWA published a guidebook to assist metropolitan planning organizations in developing Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) performance plans. The guidebook explains important aspects of these plans and provides descriptions of performance targets, project descriptions, and assessments.
	FHWA Guidance Addresses Noise Measurement Efforts (7-2018) FHWA has released a guide for transportation agencies for field noise measurements related to highway projects. The guide includes checklists for determining existing noise levels and validating the FHWA Traffic Noise Model. The guide also covers how to evaluate indoor noise levels from exterior sources, noise and vibration measurements, and vehicle noise emission level.
	New Guide and Case Studies for Community Impact Assessments (6-2018) FHWA’s Quick Reference Guide for Community Impact Assessments (CIA) has been updated, and a series of best practice case studies have been posted. Community Impact Assessments involve understanding the needs of communities and documenting potential social impacts of a project. The guide covers the processes, tools, and information sources for CIAs, and includes best practices describing assessments conducted on projects in various States.
	User Guide for Long-Term Pavement Performance Climate Tool Published (6-2018) A user guide for FHWA’s Long-Term Pavement Performance Climate Tool has been published. This online tool provides access to climate data from NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications database.
	NEPA Reviews During Emergencies (6-2018) The newest issue of FHWA’s Successes in Stewardship newsletter covers environmental compliance and the different uses of NEPA reviews during emergencies. Programs run by FHWA and FEMA offer to help fund expenses associated with declared emergencies, such as hazard mitigation and resilience features.
	Report Summarizes Resilience Integration with State Transportation Planning (6-2018) FHWA has published a report that highlights the activities of transportation agencies to integrate resilience into transportation planning processes across 52 State DOTs and 101 MPOs. The report examines how these agencies have been integrating resilience into their processes, such as resilience in goals and objectives, vulnerability assessments, and performance measures.

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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