Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Planning. Task 66. Improved Methods for Assessing Social, Cultural, and Economic Effects of Transportation Projects

The objective of this project is to review practices in state Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations that are using information about the human environment earlier in the transportation planning process and synthesize effective approaches. In addition, identify existing or emerging community and social impact assessment practices to develop indicators of quality of life (QOL) to be employed in the CIA process. These cross-cutting indicators should include information about the human environment such as community cohesion, impacts to housing and employment, cultural resources, aesthetic values and the availability or access to public facilities and services. These components of QOL will be translated into a measurement tool using a variety of data sources that will serve to develop a baseline assessment of a community from which projections of effects can be made. The report includes a description of current state DOT and MPO practices in assessing transportation impacts on the human environment; examples of indicators or criteria that contribute or detract from QOL; a baseline set of QOL measures that can be derived from typical data sources; and a description of the uses of QOL indicators in assessing transportation impacts on communities.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1280
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The contractor's final report was sent to AASHTO.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $75,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 08-36, Task 66

• 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
• Performing Organizations:

  Cambridge Systematics

  ,    
• Start Date: 20060803
• Expected Completion Date: 20080201
• Actual Completion Date: 20080201

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction projects; Environmental impacts; Metropolitan planning organizations; Quality of life; Social impacts; State departments of transportation; Transportation planning
• Subject Areas: Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01990531
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 08-36, Task 66
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 27 2026 2:55PM