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Elements of Sustainable Transportation

Highways connect communities and regions, serving as corridors for all types of transportation. Traditional engineering models widen highways in order to relieve congestion. Alternatives to widening, such as rail lines, express bus service, van pools, and parallel multi-use trails, can provide the same benefits (increased capacity and safety) without the negative impacts of more lanes (i.e. accidents, maintenance costs and impervious surface). Smart highway design also incorporates appropriate wildlife crossings.

Links:

In:

A profile of the extensive wildlife crossings planned for hwy 93 in the Flathead Valley

Out:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/csd.htm
Website for Context-Sensitive Highway Design- The Federal Highway Administration

'Context-sensitive design refers to efforts to better blend roads with their surroundings, such as urban areas, historic districts or scenic countrysides. Context-sensitive design asks first about the need and the purpose of the transportation project and then addresses safety, mobility and the preservation of scenic, aesthetic, historic, environmental and other community values. The process involves a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach in which citizens are part of the design team'

www.fhwa.dot.gov/context
on the national conference held in Missoula on 'Context Sensitive Design', Sept 2001

www.planning.org/pubs/jan01.htm
article by Reid Ewing in recent issue of 'Planning' on flexible highway design

www.odot.state.or.us/tdb/planning/access_mgt/papers/papers.html
Oregon DOT's standards for median treatments and other access management papers

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