SESSION: SUSTAINABILITY & METRICS Evaluating Sustainability and Resilience of Transportation Infrastructure with INVEST -

FHWA’s Sustainability Rating Tool Constance M. Hill Galloway. Ph.D., Environmental Protection Specialist, FHWA

The FHWA’s INVEST tool is an innovative, web-based tool that allows State DOTs, local planning organizations, and others to quantify and assess the level of sustainability of their transportation plans, projects, programs, and policies. The tool, called the Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST), contains best practices, or criteria, that allow users to assess how well their transportation activities address the “Triple Bottom Line” elements of sustainability - Environment, Economics, and Social Equity. In addition to measuring sustainability, transportation professionals may use INVEST to identify innovative practices and approaches that improve sustainability of transportation systems and projects, and make transportation infrastructure less vulnerable to weather-related or other catastrophic phenomena.Several sustainable best practices in the INVEST tool directly relate to infrastructure resiliency. Relevant criteria are included within all three modules in which the tool’s criteria are organized: Project Development (PD), System Planning (SP), and Operations and Maintenance (OM). This presentation will provide an overview of Version 1.0 of INVEST, which is currently being nationally implemented. It will highlight the specific INVEST criteria that support resiliency, and provide examples of their application by agencies that have used the tool as pilot testers, or are currently doing so as participants in the implementation program.

Connie Hill is an Environmental Protection Specialist on the Sustainable Transport and Climate Change Team in the FHWA Office of Natural Environment in Washington, DC. Connie works on policy matters, research, and program initiatives related to sustainability, including the development of the sustainable highways rating tool, INVEST. She has over 15 years of experience with the FHWA, where she also provides policy and technical assistance on brownfields, hazardous waste sites, and other issues related to contamination and transportation to State DOTs, local planning organizations, and others. Connie holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a Master of Science in Geology, also from RPI, and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Virginia State University.

INVEST, Sustainability, and Resilient Infrastructure

TRB ADC60 Committee on Waste Management and Resource Efficiency

June 18, 2014

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Agenda

• Sustainability and INVEST 1.0› Sustainable Highways› INVEST Overview

• INVEST and Infrastructure Resiliency› INVEST Criteria Modules› Linking Criteria to Resilient Infrastructure

• INVEST Implementation and Lessons Learned

Sustainability and INVEST 1.0

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What is Sustainability?

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What is a Sustainable Highway?

• Satisfies functional requirements› Fulfills transportation goals and needs (e.g.

congestion reduction)› Addresses development and economic growth

• Reduces impacts› Environment› Consumption of resources

• Addresses environmental, economic, and social equity dimensions (triple bottom line)

• Addresses sustainability from planning through operations

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What is INVEST?

A web-based self-evaluation tool for assessing sustainability over the life cycle of a transportation project or program — from system and project planning through design and construction, to operations and maintenance

INVEST - Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool

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About INVEST . . .

• Collection of best practices• Measures sustainability specifically of

transportation plans, projects, or programs • Repository of real-world examples where

best practices have been applied

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What are some of the Tool’s characteristics?

• Free, Web-based, Voluntary• Private Self-evaluation• Credits (criteria) based on best practices• Each credit assigned a point value based

on expected sustainability impact• “Scorecards” used to measure

sustainability

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What INVEST Does. . .

• Connects sustainability principles with action• Helps agencies assess their level of sustainability

implementation and identify areas for internal improvement › Assess single or multiple projects› Prospective vs. retrospective› Planning or O&M programs and processes

• Provides objective approach to assess process and identify improvement opportunities

INVEST and Resilient Infrastructure

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Supporting the Entire Lifecycle through Best Practices

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Criteria are organized in 3 phases

• System Planning (SP)› Concerned with agency-wide management and planning

of highway networks.› Typically involve the owner-agency having policies,

procedures and systems in place to address them.

• Project Development (PD)› Concerned with the development of a specific project

once the general need and proposal for a solution to a transportation problem have been programmed.

› Involve environmental review, project planning, design, and construction decisions related to a specific project.

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Criteria are organized in 3 phases

• Operations & Maintenance (OM)› Concerned with agency-wide practices, policies and

procedures required for the overall functionality and efficiency of a highway network.

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Use INVEST To…

• Evaluate – collaborative process can be the most important outcome

• Score – provides recognition for implementing sustainability best practices and helps identify gaps

• Improve – process can lead to improvements in practice and identification of cost effective measures

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Linking INVEST to Resilient Infrastructure

INVEST Evaluations may be used to:•Assess sustainability before catastrophic event occurs

•Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities within a transportation system

•Identify practices and approaches that could improve sustainability of projects, plans, practices

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Linking INVEST to Resilient Infrastructure

INVEST Evaluations may be used to:•Identify practices and approaches that could strengthen a transportation project or system

•Encourage incorporation of infrastructure resiliency into the planning process

•Identify and communicate cost effective practices/policies to improve transportation system

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Project Development Criteria:Connections to Resilient Infrastructure

PD-1 Economic Analyses

PD-2

Lifecycle Cost Analysis

PD-3 Context Sensitive Project Development

PD-4 Highway and Traffic Safety

PD-5 Educational Outreach

PD-6 Tracking Environmental Commitments

PD-7 Habitat Restoration

PD-8

Stormwater

PD-9 Ecological Connectivity

PD-10 Pedestrian Access

PD-11 Bicycle Access

PD-12

Transit & HOV Access

PD-13 Freight Mobility

PD-14 ITS for System Operations

PD-15 Historical, Archaeological, and Cultural Preservation

PD-16 Scenic, Natural, or Recreational Qualities

PD-17

Energy Efficiency

PD-18 Site Vegetation

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Version 1 Project Development Criteria

PD-19

Reduce and Reuse Materials

PD-20

Recycle Materials

PD-21

Earthwork Balance

PD-22

Long-Life Pavement Design

PD-23

Reduced Energy and Emissions in Pavement Materials

PD-24

Contractor Warranty

PD-25

Construction Environmental Training

PD-26

Construction Equipment Emission Reduction

PD-27 Construction Noise Mitigation

PD-28 Construction Quality Control Plan

PD-29 Construction Waste Management

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Multiple Scorecards to Fit Your Project

Larger Project

Smaller Project

UrbanRural

Rural/Extended

Rural/Basic

Urban/Basic

Urban/Extended

Custom

Paving

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Achievement Levels

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Version 1 Operations & Maintenance Criteria

OM-1

Internal Sustainability Plan

OM-2

Electrical Energy Efficiency and Use

OM-3

Vehicle Fuel Efficiency and Use

OM-4

Reuse and Recycle

OM-5

Safety Management

OM-6

Environmental Commitments Tracking System

OM-7

Pavement Management System

OM-8 Bridge Management System

OM-9 Maintenance Management System

OM-10

Highway Infrastructure Preservation and Maintenance

OM-11 Traffic Control Infrastructure Maintenance

OM-12

Road Weather Management Program

OM-13 Transportation Management and Operations

OM-14 Work Zone Traffic Control

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Achievement Levels

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System Planning Criteria

SP-1 Integrated Planning: Economic Development and Land Use

SP-2 Integrated Planning: Natural Environment

SP-3 Integrated Planning: Social

SP-4 Integrated Planning: Bonus

SP-5 Access & Affordability

SP-6 Safety Planning

SP-7 Multimodal Transportation and Public Health

SP-8 Freight and Goods Movement

SP-9 Travel Demand Management

SP-10

Air Quality

SP-11

Energy and Fuels

SP-12

Financial Sustainability

SP-13

Analysis Methods

SP-14

Transportation Systems Management & Operations

SP-15

Linking Asset Management and Planning

SP-16

Infrastructure Resiliency

SP-17

Linking Planning and NEPA

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System Planning Achievement Levels

INVEST Implementation – Lessons Learned

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INVEST Implementation Sites

Arizona DOT

Illinois Tollway

North Central Texas Council of Governments

Puget Sound Regional Council

Western Federal Lands

Western Federal Lands

TriMet

Western Federal Lands

Washington DOT

Cape Cod Commission

Des Moines MPO

Kittery Area Comprehensive

Transportation System

Texas DOT

Greater St. Joseph Area MPO

Indianapolis MPO

Springfield MPO

Eastern Federal Lands

Transportation Agency for Monterey County

Central Federal Lands

Ohio DOT

Lane Transit District

By the Numbers

27 INVEST implementation projectsIn 18 states and DC

By 23 agencies, including:• 4 state DOTs

• 11 MPOs• 3/3 Federal Lands Highway Divisions

• 5 other transportation agencies

Valdosta-Lowndes MPO

Riverside County Transportation

Commission

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North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

Large Multi-Modal Transportation PlanINVEST Role: System Planning & Processes

• Rapid regional growth: 6.5M to 10M

• Projected funding shortfall of $45B

• Need to increase mobility, cut some improvements & reprioritize others

• Influence travel behavior & demand, improve transportation / land use links

• Extend life of existing assets, increase spending on O&M

Watch Video Case Study Here

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North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

• Evaluated long range transportation plan (LRTP) with INVEST SP module

• Identified areas for improvement:

• infrastructure resiliency

• linking asset management and planning

• performance measures

• Now taking action in each of these areas:

• conducting infrastructure vulnerability assessment

• analyzing asset data to screen project alternatives and planning scenarios

• developing sustainability related performance measures

• Will incorporate above improvements in next LRTP

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Conclusion

• Several criteria relate to resiliency of infrastructure

• Criteria will be added or modified as we learn more from implementation sites

• Improvements in sustainability

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Thank you!FHWA Sustainable Highways Initiative

Supports programs and activities conducted across the Federal Highway Administration to facilitate balanced decision-making among environmental, economic and social values — the triple bottom line of sustainability.

www.sustainablehighways.dot.gov

Try INVEST atwww.sustainablehighways.org

Contact:Mike Culp (michael.culp @dot.gov)Connie Hill (connie.hill@dot.gov)Tina Hodges (tina.hodges@dot.gov)Heather Holsinger (heather.holsinger@dot.gov)Rob Hyman (robert.hyman@dot.gov)