Transcription
LECTURE 4Sustainability and Transportation —Key Concepts
Sustainability Triple bottom line — environmental,economic, and social Principles Preserving and restoring environmentaland ecological systems Fostering community health and vitality Promoting economic development andprosperity Ensuring equity among population groupsover generationsSource: NCHRP Report 708:A Guidebook for Sustainability PerformanceMeasurement for Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press.https://doi.org/10.17226/145982
Transportation and SustainabilityThere are severalareas in whichtransportationimpacts sustainabilitySustainabilityprinciples andconsiderations canapply to every stageof the transportationlife cycleSustainabletransportation reflectshow sustainabilityprinciples are appliedto the transportationsector3
Transportation and Sustainability (Continued)Energy/climatechangeHabitatWater qualityHydrologiccycleAir qualityMobility andaccessCommunityimpactsNon-renewableresources4
Approaches to Sustainable TransportationMay be holistic(viewingtransportation asa part of abroader system)or sector specific(focusing on thetransportationsector alone)Source: Gudmundsson et al. (2016). Sustainable Transportation: Indicators, Frameworks, and Performance Management.Springer.5
Transportation Decisions andSustainabilityLong-range transportation planning Point at which expectations for sustainability performance can be discussed — particularlyin terms of desired sustainability outcomes — and broad performance goals establishedthat drive subsequent investment patternsShort-range transportation programming Point at which broad expectations about sustainability established in long-range planningcan be translated into explicit targets associated with implementation of a specific set ofprojectsProject-level planning Project-level sustainability performance may be used to inform project-level planningdecisions6
Transportation Decisions andSustainability (continued)Project-level review As in planning, project-level sustainability performance may be used to inform projectlevel environmental decisionsDesign, land acquisition, and permitting Points at which the predictions made during planning and environmental review canbe verified and translated into an outcome of sustainabilityConstruction, maintenance, and operations How construction, maintenance, and operations work is done can be designed tosupport an agency’s sustainability goals7
Policies and Programs Addressing SustainabilitySustainability considerations overlap with several transportation-sectorpolices and programs, such as those addressing:Climate sitive solutionsNeighborhood revitalizationHealthSmart growthEquityMultimodal transportationThese usually cover only some aspects of sustainability, not the triple bottom line in a holistic manner8
Challenges for Sustainable TransportationAspectChallengesPotential SolutionDEFINITION —conceptualizing and definingsustainable transportationUnclear definition and misuse of theterm. Also affected by inherent conflictsbetween sustainability dimensions, politicalfactors, and alternative discourses such asresilience or climate adaptation.Take a holisticapproach — withconsensus onfundamental issuesMEASUREMENT —assessing progressPrimarily affected by the multitude offrameworks and metrics present. It is alsoaffected by the cross-cutting nature ofsustainability, which may limit the scope ofwhat is measured.Focus on end goal(i.e., outcome focused)IMPLEMENTATION —implementing programs andpoliciesPolitical issues and alternative discoursescan affect how programs and policies areimplemented.Be context specific —consider local factorsSource: Adapted from Ramani, T. L., and Zietsman, J. (2016). Sustainable Transportation—Alternative Perspectives and Enduring Challenges. International Journal of Urban Sciences, 20(3), 318-333.9
LECTURE 4Sustainability and Transportation —Key Concepts
Sustainable Transportation: Indicators, Frameworks, and Performance Management. Springer. 6 Transportation Decisions and Sustainability Point at which expectations for sustainability performance can be discussed — particularly . Lecture 4: Sustainability and Transportation — Key Concepts
