Improvements to the Infrastructure Carbon Estimator (ICE)

Some state departments of transportation (DOTs) and many Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have begun to estimate vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation systems. However, only a few have started to evaluate infrastructure-related energy consumption and GHG emissions, which can make significant contribution to the environmental footprint of the transportation system. The goal of this project is to update the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Infrastructure Carbon Estimator (ICE) tool used to estimate GHG from construction of transportation projects. The project was organized to gather stakeholder input and implement the following ICE improvements: (1) Incorporate new research on infrastructure embodied energy and lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions; (2) Add analysis of new/additional project types; (3) Address GHG reductions and energy conservation potential of additional reduction strategies; (4) Tailor outputs to better address the energy and GHG emissions from transportation project alternatives and transportation plans; (5) Make the interface more intuitive and easier to use; and (6) Allow for states to input emissions factors most relevant to them as opposed to national averages.

  • Record URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • The FHWA ICE tool can be found at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/energy/tools/carbon_estimator/. The User Guide and other information is available via MnDOT at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/sustainability/ghg-analysis.html

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $455000
  • Contract Numbers:

    1029172

    TPF-5(362)

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590

    Colorado Department of Transportation

    2829 W. Howard Place
    Denver, CO  United States  80204

    California Department of Transportation

    1227 O Street
    Sacramento, CA  United States  95814

    Iowa Department of Transportation

    800 Lincoln Way
    Ames, IA  United States  50010

    Minnesota Department of Transportation

    Transportation Building
    395 John Ireland Boulevard
    St Paul, MN  United States  55155

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483

    Washington State Department of Transportation

    Transportation Building
    Olympia, WA  United States  98504

    New York State Department of Transportation

    50 Wolf Road
    Albany, NY  United States  12232
  • Managing Organizations:

    Minnesota Department of Transportation

    395 John Ireland Boulevard
    St Paul, MN  United States  55155
  • Project Managers:

    Sexton, Timothy

  • Performing Organizations:

    ICF Incorporated LLC

    9300 Lee Highway
    Fairfax, VA  United States  22031
  • Principal Investigators:

    Ang-Olson, Jeff

  • Start Date: 20180101
  • Expected Completion Date: 0
  • Actual Completion Date: 20240424

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01669370
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 1029172, TPF-5(362)
  • Files: RIP, USDOT, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: May 18 2018 10:59AM