| There are advocates of sustainability who seem to believe that
the only good highway is the one left unbuilt. Certainly, even the
strongest highway supporter would acknowledge projects and practices
that have been harmful from an environmental or community perspective.
On the other hand, we know that well conceived and well planned
highways have added to the quality of the natural and community
landscape and to the quality of our lives.
We know also that the basic values, philosophy and practices of
transportation professionals have been undergoing dramatic change.
In the U.S., state departments of transportation have launched initiatives
individually as well as collectively through the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) that exemplify
the principles and the practical advantages of “environmental
stewardship.”
Environmental Stewardship
Environmental stewardship is described as “…protecting
and enhancing the environment, and ensuring that transportation
projects benefit communities now and for generations to come.”
These are two breakthrough concepts.
Enhancing the Environment. When the federal “enhancement
program” was incorporated into ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act)1 in 1991 many opposed the idea, saying that it diverted
scarce resources away from much needed infrastructure improvements.
This opposition has not only disappeared, but the philosophy of
enhancement—making our communities and the environment a bit
better rather than a bit worse—has become a mainstream idea.
Enhancement does not have to be a budget-busting concept. For example,
a 2 percent enhancement that exceeds expectations as compared to
falling short by 2 percent may amount to only a 4 percent difference,
but that difference can be huge in terms of the perceptions of highways
that are imparted.
Accommodating Future Generations. In taking the long-term view
that accounts for “generations to come” and in launching
related initiatives, such as the creation of an AASHTO-sponsored
Center for Environmental Excellence and the rapidly evolving practice
of context-sensitive solutions, the U.S. transportation community
is moving closer and closer toward the broader idea of sustainability.
Taking the Opportunity
We in the highway community have the opportunity to demonstrate
that our very best life-cycle engineering and environmental stewardship
practices can result in sustainable highways that not only meet
structural, safety and service requirements, but go a step beyond
in creating outcomes that are “better than before.”
To do so, we must promote highway projects that:
- In function and form are consistent with and supportive of
environmentally sensitive land use and transportation plans and
policies
- Link seamlessly and efficiently with and make maximum use of
all existing elements of the transport network, including rail,
air, water, bus, carpooling, bicycling and walking
- Are designed with the full participation of interdisciplinary
professionals and with the active participation of people who
are affected
- Incorporate designs and specifications that reflect a life-cycle
asset management perspective2
- Maximize the use of recycled construction materials without
compromising the physical quality or integrity of the built product
- Incorporate construction methods that require the least disruption
and disturbance
- Move expeditiously through a streamlined development and delivery
process.
For the full potential of sustainable highway practices to be achieved,
it is important that associated land use and conservation planning
is also focused upon sustainability objectives. While these functions
are not under the purview of transportation agencies, highway officials
can and should be proactive in encouraging such an integrated approach
toward sustainable development outcomes.
Moving Forward
The time has come to offer a definition of “sustainable highways”
and to initiate a dialogue. One possible definition would be:
Highways that from conception to completion, through maintenance
and operation, satisfy life-cycle functional requirements for service,
safety and structural durability while conserving resources and
improving our natural, built and social environments.
It is hoped that other versions will be offered and the definition
debated and refined. Such a process will sharpen our focus on what
constitutes sustainable highways and would signal that the debate
within our business no longer centers on whether, but rather on
how, to define, develop and deliver highway projects that we and
the customers we serve can proudly embrace as sustainable for generations
to come.
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