Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 54-21. Practices in the Transportation Planning Process to Address Climate Resilience and GHG Emission Quantification and Reduction

In transportation planning processes, state departments of transportation (DOTs) are facing the issue of climate change on two fronts: (1) resiliency and (2) GHG emissions quantification and reduction. To illustrate the resiliency issue, forecasting or modeling risk to infrastructure from extreme weather is becoming increasingly essential but a still maturing practice. Some DOTs have had almost a decade of practices for quantifying or reducing GHG emissions, while other DOTs are establishing practices to implement the requirements included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. How DOTs address both in transportation planning can play an integral role in successfully meeting the challenge of climate change. DOT practices vary, especially the degree to which there are integration of the issues in their transportation plans, especially the federally required statewide long-range transportation plans (LRTPs) and statewide transportation improvement programs (STIPs). Practices could include greenhouse gas quantification/reduction policies, program management and investment decisions, project selection criteria, or engineering directives on resiliency. Additionally, the tools, data, methodologies, or models used by DOTs vary for estimating climate change implications, resiliency, or emissions. The objective of this synthesis is to document current DOT practices to address climate resilience and quantify/reduce GHG emissions in transportation planning processes, including LRTPs and STIPs. Information to be gathered includes (but is not limited to) the following: (1) Stated policies, goals, targets, or mandates for quantifying/reducing GHG emissions; (2) Approaches and methodologies to quantify GHG emissions; (3) Strategies to reduce GHG emissions stated in transportations plans, including LRTPs and STIPS; (4) Strategies in use by DOTs in the planning process to enhance resiliency in transportation networks; (5) Policies, goals, engineering directives, or other documented commitments to increase resiliency; (6) Approaches, methodologies, or mechanisms to measure system impacts, forecast change, and estimate frequencies of extreme weather (including data sources); (7) Climate risk quantification and incorporation in transportation plans, including LRTPs and STIPs; (8) Coordination practices with metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and local governments, and state partner agencies; and (9) State-level research or synthesis of practice efforts on climate resilience or quantifying/reducing GHG emissions. Information will be gathered through a literature review, a survey of state DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5304

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $55000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 54-21

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Wadsworth, Trey

• Performing Organizations:

  Zamurs and Associates, LLC

  Slingerlands, NY  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Zamurs, John

• Start Date: 20221010
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climate change; Cooperation; Disaster resilience; Greenhouse gases; Investments; Long range planning; Policy; Programming (Planning); State departments of transportation; State of the practice
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01845546
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 54-21
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 17 2022 11:47AM