RES2021.06: A Framework for Quantitative Assessment of the Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits of TDOT Infrastructure Projects

Traditional infrastructure planning and design has mostly focused on the economic impacts of a project, while under prioritizing the environmental and social impacts. As state departments of transportation begin to integrate Green Infrastructure (GI) and Low Impact Development strategies into transportation infrastructure—to meet sustainability goals, promote economic growth, and enhance public safety and social objectives—there is a need for a standardized framework that quantifies and considers economic, environmental, and social impacts while also taking public opinion and the hierarchy of importance for these benefits into consideration. This study aims to develop a systematic quantification framework that does just that, with the use of spatially specific and temporally dynamic metrics, objective weights, practical quantification methods, and calculations to value tangential benefits. This framework is meant to be used by practitioners to assess the applicability and quantified benefits of GI practices to be used in transportation projects. To do this, the Analytical Hierarchy Process and Monte Carlo Simulation methods, along with results from two surveys, are employed to build the toolbox, complete with a searchable database of applicable GI measures that can be used for specific field conditions of a project. Additionally, a step-by-step user guide has been developed to facilitate practitioner’s use of the toolbox, and a case study was conducted to demonstrate the toolbox‘ capabilities and benefits.

• Record URL:
  https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/long-range-planning/research/final-reports/2021-final-reports-and-summaries/RES2021-06%20Final%20Report.Dec23.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • N/A

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $271996
• Contract Numbers:

  RES2021-06

• Sponsor Organizations:

  University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Center for Transportation Research
  Conference Center Building
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37996-4133
• Managing Organizations:

  Tennessee Department of Transportation

  James K. Polk Building
  Fifth and Deaderick Street
  Nashville, TN  United States  37243-0349
• Project Managers:

  Emilaire, Randall

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Center for Transportation Research
  Conference Center Building
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37996-4133
• Principal Investigators:

  Fomunung, Ignatius

• Start Date: 20200901
• Expected Completion Date: 20231231
• Actual Completion Date: 20231231
• Subprogram: Center for Transportation Research
• Subprogram: Emergency Planning Transportation Data Initiative
• Subprogram: Emerging Technology

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction projects; Economic impacts; Environmental impacts; Social impacts; Sustainable development
• Identifier Terms: Tennessee Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Construction; Economics; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01907657
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Tennessee Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: RES2021-06
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 9 2024 2:19PM