1、the Jobs, mobility, economic prosperity-these are the kind of benefits that we usually attribute to transportation. But theres a lot more to say about the good transportation does, not just for today, but far into the future. Good things for the environment, for historic preservation, and for the wa
2、y we enjoy life. In 2001, AASHTO created the AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence for the purpose of promoting environmental stewardship along with encouraging innovative ways to streamline the transportation delivery process. AASHTO recognizes that the American public demands projects that no
3、t only provide mobility, but also contribute to ones overall quality of life. This report is a product of the Center for Environmental Excellence. While considerable attention has been focused on environmental impacts that may result from transportation, little has been said about the multitude of e
4、nvironmental and societal benefits that do result from transportation. This report chronicles these important benefits with examples from across the country. It will likely surprise even the most experienced transportation and environment professionals with the size and scope of the positive impacts
5、 occurring in every state. Did you know that transportation is the largest investor in historic preservation of Americas rich heritage? Did you imagine that highways are considered the countrys top recycler? And did you know that in the past 10 years, $5 billion has been spent in 15,000 communities
6、for transportation enhancement projects? Within these pages you will find the facts on how transportation makes a real difference to our quality of life through investments in: B B B B B B B B B B B B Transportation Enhancements; Historic Preservation; Recycling; Clean Air; Community Design; Brownfi
7、elds Reclamation; Walking and Biking Trails; Wetlands and Water Quality; Wildlife Preservation; Sound Barriers; Scenic Byways; and Wildflowers and Native Vegetation. For every good example shown here, there are hundreds more occurring all across the country. Thats why state departments of transporta
8、tion can say with pride that taking the high road is just the AASHTO gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and organizations for their contributions and advice in compiling this report: D Amy Phillips, Senior Editor, BNA PLUS, the research division of BNA Inc., Washington, D.C. D Federal
9、 Highway Administration, with special thanks to Cindy Burbank, James Shrouds, Fred Bank, Harold Peaks, Hannah Visser, John Fegan, Christopher Douwes, Ginny Finch, MaryAnn Naber, Jason Harrington, Dan Johnson, and numerous other staff members. Officials from numerous agencies and transportation organ
10、izations, including: D Greg Smith, American Road and Transportation Builders Association D Andy Clarke, Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals D Keith Robinson, California DOT D John Carr, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet D Charles Adams, Raja Veeramachaneni, and George Walter, Maryland
11、State Highway Administration D The National Scenic Byways Program D Liz Parr, National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse D William Hauser, New Hampshire DOT D Gary McVoy and Mary Ivey, New York State DOT D Hal Kassoff, Parsons Brinckerhoff D Ira Beckerman, Joe Baker, Rocksroy Bailey, and Cha
12、rles Metzger, Pennsylvania DOT D Michael Fleig, and Mac McCoy, Radnor Township, PA D Dianna Noble, Nancy Kenmotsu, Woody Raine, Texas DOT D Wayne Kober, Wayne W. Kober Inc. Transportation and Environmental Management Consulting D Elaina Coarse, URS Corporation D Chris Slesar, Vermont Agency of Trans
13、portation D Shari Schaftlein, Jon Peterson, Washington State DOT and Eva Wilder, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife D Kenneth Leonard, Gary Birch, Wisconsin DOT Additional thanks to Kris Hoellen, Sunny Schust, and Erin Grady of the AASHTO staff, and to Melinda Appel of AppelGrafix, Inc
14、. Annapolis, MD. TAKING THE HIGH ROAD contents Introduction Transportation: Enhancing Our Quality of Life Transportation: Building Bridges to Americas Past Transportation: A Leader in Recycling Transportation: On the Road to Cleaner Air Transportation: Enhancing Our Communities and the Environment T
15、ransportation: Revitalizing Brownfields Transportation: Paving the Way for Walking and Biking Transportation: Wetlands and Water Quality Success Stories Transportation: Protecting Species, Enhancing Ecosystems Transportation: Sound Solutions to Keep Down Noise Transportation: Taking the Scenic Route
16、 to Americas Treasures Transportation: Cultivating Wildflowers and Native Vegetation on Americas Roadsides Endno tes 1 5 14 22 27 33 40 47 57 64 74 79 88 96 TAKING THE HIGH ROAD Introduction Did you bow? D Highway programs are achieving a net gain in wetlands-showing a I60 percent increase in wetlan
17、d acreage over the past seven years. D Air emissions are declining, even with an increase in vehicle miles traveled and unprecedented population growth. D Transportation is considered the number one financier of historic preservation and archeology. D Transportation funding for bicycle and pedestria
18、n projects has risen 80-fold since 1988- $2.6 billion in the past 12 years. D Transportation has funded almost I 5,000 enhancement projects since 1992-providing billions of dollars for historic preservation, bicycle and pedestrian trails, landscaping, and commun i ty improvements. D Roads and highwa
19、ys are recognized as one of the largest recyclers-with twice as much as asphalt pavement recycled as paper, glass, and aluminum combined. D Transportation agencies are balancing the needs of communities and the natural environment by partnering with citizens to develop context-sensitive transportati
20、on solutions. Across the nation, programs to construct and rehabilitate U.S. roads and highways are revitalizing communities, enhancing the environment, and improving quality of life. From preservation of historic covered bridges to recovery of the delicate and endangered Karner Blue butterfly, high
21、way programs are balancing mobility goals with a responsibility to protect and enhance the nations natural and cultural resources. Environmental and social contributions of our road programs often go unrecog- nized, but they tell a real success story-a story of how transportation solutions benefit A
22、mericans and the environment every day. This report illustrates the many benefits of transportation to communities and to the environment-major contributions that few Americans realize come from the transportation sector. From new technologies for storm water runoff controls and strategies to preser
23、ve and enhance entire ecosystems, to the experience of traveling the nations breathtak- ing scenic byways-this report provides a glimpse of the numerous benefits the transportation sector provides Americans. Opposite - Mount Nebo, as seen traveling Utahs Neb0 Loop Scenic Byway south from Payson. Pho
24、to courtesy of the National Scenic Byways Program, www.byways.org O Willie Holdman.All rights reserved. TAKING THE HIGH ROAD “Our customers demand that our projects and activities fit, look good, have balance, and are sensitive to human and natural environment. Therefore, we must continue to change
25、our culture to one that has an environmental ethic and assumes an environmental stewardship role. It is the correct approach . the right thing to ch the common sense thing to do, and our customers deserve this type of treatment.” - James Codell, Secretary, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Preside
26、nt, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Ofslcials Vital Support for Environment and Communities While called to action by 40 federal environmental laws and regulations, transportation agencies are establishing first-rate environmental programs that are credited with devising eff
27、ective solutions and devoting untold resources to prevent and mitigate impacts. In fact, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association reports that the Federal Highway Program provides more financial resources for environmental and community enhancements than any other public or private
28、effort. In 1998 and 1999, working with state and local transportation departments, the highway program provided: B $608 million to build walkways, bike paths, and recreational trails; B $378 million for landscaping and soil stabilization; B $6.2 million to plant wildflowers; B $100 million to build
29、auto emissions testing facilities; B $148 million to restore historic buildings and sites; B $85 million for noise abatement; B $30 million to purchase land to protect scenic and historic sites, and B $25 million for wetlands replacement and mitigation. New chapters to this success story are being w
30、ritten every day, as highway pro- grams continue to broaden their missions-both as public servants and as stewards of the environment. State highway officials have embraced environmental stewardship as the right way to do business, and with technical support from AASHTOs Center for Environmental Exc
31、ellence, Americas highway programs are “Taking the High Road.” TAKING THE HIGH ROAD “Good stewardship of the environment is not just a personal responsibility, it is a public value. The Federal Highway Administration works with its partners in the states to take every opportunity to protect and enha
32、nce the environment while improving transportation.” - MaryPeters, Administrator, Federal High way Administration TAKING THE HIGH ROAD Opposite -Various pieces of art have become popular rest stops along New Mexicos Historic Route 66,1-40, and of Life Did you know? Transportation is enhancing Americ
33、ans quality of life by funneling billions of dollars, through the Transportation Enhancements Program, into projects that focus on preserving and enhancing our communities and the natural environment. Most Americans are unaware that transportation is behind many of the improvements in everyday life
34、they see in their communities. Since 1992, almost $5 billion in transportation enhancement funds have been targeted to projects that improve quality of life and benefit the natural and cultural environment. Hiking and biking paths, sidewalks, museums, tourist welcome cen- ters, preservation of histo
35、ric buildings and neighborhoods, historic markers and signs, environmental conservation projects, and beautiful landscapes EI Camino Real (I-25), encour- aging travelers to stop and visit the communities along the way. Here, a Fire and Ice, a flaming steel sculpture in downtown Grants that combines
36、geological points of interest with a Of the history of the area. Above -Transportation enhancement-funded artworks bring beauty and excitement to multi-modal Union Station Gateway Center in L Angeles, California. environmentally friendly transportation alternatives. and streetscapes are the results
37、of 15,000 transportation enhancements projects under way all over the country. The benefits go far beyond construction of new projects. Communities with transportation enhancement projects often experience increased tourism, economic growth and development, as well as immeasurable social benefits, s
38、uch as healthier lifestyles, spaces to visit with neighbors, and renewed civic pride. At the same time, transportation enhancements have helped to focus funds and attention on limiting impacts to natural resources and providing Facts About the Transportation Enhancements Program Established by Congr
39、ess in 1991 in the Intermodal Surface Transport- ation Equity Act (ISTEA), the Transportation Enhancements Program has invested almost $5 billion around the country in facilities for walking and bicycling, historic preservation, scenic beautification, land acquisition, and environmental mitigation.
40、The program was reauthorized in the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), ensuring that through 2003, about $620 million in annual funds is available to state transportation agencies for these projects. TAKING THE HIGH ROAD I I Photos courtesy of the National Transportation E
41、nhancements Clearinghouse Left and right -The James D. Pfluger PedestrianlBicycle Bridge in Austin,Texas. Funding is dispersed across the various categories-with the largest por- tions going to bicycle and pedestrian projects and historic preservation efforts. The list on page 7 illustrates how stat
42、es are targeting transportation enhancement funds to benefit communities. Looking at the Benefits The transportation sector is using the Transportation Enhancements Program not only to improve transportation systems, but also to improve livability for residents and create enjoyable destinations for
43、tourists. Projects create links with the past, build community identity, promote community revitalization, attract tourism dollars, and provide opportunities for healthy recreation. Through these enhancements, transportation is improving state programs and policies-including increasing the state and
44、 local tax base. The National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse maintains a database of over 10,000 projects across the country in which transportation funding has made a difference in communities. Some examples illustrate the variety of ways transportation is benefiting America.* In Meridia
45、n, Mississippi, transportation enhancements helped transform an old railroad station into a new, multi-modal transportation center: A catalyst to revitalizing the communitys commercial core. Ail three sections of Meridian, Mississippis Union Station have been restored thanks to a $2.5 million Transp
46、ortation Enhancements award, coupled with contributions from Amtrak, the DOT, and the City of Meridian. TAKING THE HIGH ROAD Transportation is enhancing America by targeting funds to a long list of eligible activities across the country, including the following: Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities ) N
47、ew or reconstructed sidewalks, walkways, or curb ramps 7 Bike-lane striping, wide paved shoulders, bike parking, and bike racks on buses Off-road trails 1 Bike and pedestrian bridges and underpasses Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Education Activities 1 Bike and pedestrian injury prevention progra
48、ms 7 Programs to encourage walking and biking Acquisition of Scenic or Historic Easements and Sites Purchase of scenic land easements, vistas, and landscapes 7 Purchase of historic properties or buildings in historic districts 7 Preservation of farmland Scenic or Historic Highway Programs-Including
49、Tourist and Welcome Centers 2 Construction of turnouts and overlooks 7 Visitor centers and viewing areas 7 Designation signs and markers Landscaping and Scenic Beautification 7 Street furniture 7 Lighting Public art Landscaping and streetscape improvements Historic Preservation 7 Preservation of buildings and faades in historic districts 7 Restoration and reuse of historic buildings for transportation-related purposes I Access improvements to historic sites and buildings Rehabilitation and Operation of Historic Transportation Buildings, Structures, or Facilities 7 Rest
