Evaluating Carbon Reduction in Project Selection and Planning

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation is a critical component of economy-wide efforts to combat climate change. Several state departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have incorporated GHG emissions evaluation, with a focus on carbon dioxide (“carbon”), in their project selection and planning practices. These states include California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, and Virginia. Several recent federal actions have extended GHG evaluation activities to state DOTs. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Carbon Reduction Program funds projects for state DOTs to reduce carbon emissions and requires the creation of state Carbon Reduction Strategies. Additionally, FHWA’s recent GHG Performance Measure rule requires state DOTs and MPOs to measure and set declining target amounts for carbon emissions on the National Highway System from on-road transportation sources. With these developments in mind, research is needed to develop a toolkit to support state DOT carbon reduction evaluation programs. The toolkit will provide practical suggestions and illustrative examples for state DOTs to consider as they develop or refine their carbon reduction evaluation programs.   The objective of this project is to develop a toolkit to support state DOT carbon reduction evaluation programs. At a minimum, the toolkit will include a decision-support framework to help state DOTs develop methodologies and select tools that support evaluation of carbon reduction in the context of project selection and related planning activities, and a collection of case studies illustrating effective implementation of processes and tools identified within the framework.  

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5550
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $500000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 25-70

• 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:

  Brooks, Mike

• Start Date: 20240319
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carbon; Construction projects; Decarbonization; Decision support systems; Environmental impacts; Pollutants; Project management; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01906721
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 25-70
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jan 31 2024 5:48PM