Green highway

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A green highway integrates transportation functionality and ecological sustainability. The result is a highway that will benefit transportation, the ecosystem, urban growth, and surrounding communities.

Contents

[edit] Definition

Green highways are:

[edit] Qualities

Though this is not an exhaustive list, green highway qualities include:

  • Providing a net increase in environmental functions and values of a watershed.
  • Going beyond minimum standards set by environmental laws and regulations.
  • Identifying and protecting historic and cultural landmarks.
  • Mapping all resources in the area in order to avoid, identify, and protect critical resource areas.
  • Using innovative, natural methods to reduce imperviousness, and cleanse all runoff within the project area.
  • Maximizing use of existing transportation infrastructure, providing multi-modal transportation opportunities, and promoting ride-sharing/public transportation.
  • Using recycled materials to eliminate waste and reduce the energy required to build the highway.
  • Linking regional transportation plans with local land use partnerships.
  • Controlling populations of invasive species, and promoting the growth of native species.
  • Incorporating post project monitoring to ensure environmental results.
  • Protecting the hydrology of wetlands and streams channels through restoration of natural drainage paths.
  • Resulting in a suite of targeted environmental outcomes based upon local environmental needs.
  • Reducing disruptions to ecological processes by promoting wildlife corridors and passages in areas identified through wildlife conservation plans.
  • Encouraging smart growth by integrating and guiding future growth and capacity building with ecological constraints.[2]

[edit] Technologies

Green highway construction can incorporate several technical elements including, but not limited to:

  • Bioretention swales[3]
  • Porous pavement shoulders[4]
  • Environmentally friendly concrete[5]
  • Preserved forest buffer[6]
  • Restored and stormwater wetlands[7][8]
  • Stream restoration[9]
  • Wildlife crossing[10]
  • Soil amendments[11]

[edit] References

[edit] See also