Environment
Transportation planning and project development must reflect the desires of communities, and take into account the impacts on both the natural and human environments. Transportation projects are closely looked at to see how they might impact the community, the natural environment, and our health and welfare. Before any project can move forward to construction, the FHWA must address and comply with laws related to the environment. These laws cover social, economic, and environmental concerns ranging from community cohesion to threatened and endangered species. To get through this detailed process, FHWA and FTA use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to evaluate impacts associated with each individual project.
Three offices within the Federal Highway Administration focus on environmental protection and enhancement. The offices of Natural Environment and Human Environment primarily focus on environmental programs associated with air quality, climate change, sustainability, noise, and on programs associated with the built environment, including transportation enhancements, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Office of Project Development and Environmental Review focuses on NEPA project development process as a balanced and streamlined approach to transportation decisionmaking that takes into account the potential impacts on both human and natural resources and the public's need for safe and efficient transportation improvements. Information regarding the full range of FHWA environmental programs can be found on this website. If you don't see the topic you are looking for, check our Subject Index.
Upcoming Events
2020
- U.S. DOT Summit on Pedestrian Safety, Taking Action on Pedestrian Safety Part 2: Consider Risk: When, Where, Who, How?
(July 15)
- Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' Victim Blaming in Crash Reporting: What Is It and How To Stop It.
(July 15)
- U.S. DOT Summit on Pedestrian Safety, Taking Action on Pedestrian Safety Part 3: Next Steps
(July 15)
- American Trails' Expanding and Strengthening Partnerships and Engagement Opportunities Through Mountain Biking
(July 16)
- American Trails' Advancing Trails Through Maps, Apps, and Analysis Tools
(July 21)
- FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Value Capture Strategies-Special Assessment Districts such as Community Improvement District and Sales Tax District
(July 23)
- Association for Commuter Transportation's Contact Tracing: Driving Participation, Scale & Innovation From a Mobility Framework
(July 23)
- TRB's Human Trafficking and Mobility of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
(July 29)
- Association for Commuter Transportation's Virtual International Conference
(August 3 - 5, 2020)
- Walk/Bike/Places Conference
(August 4 - 7, 2020)
- ITE 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting and Exhibition
(August 4 - 20, 2020)
- American Trails' Trail Analytics and Data Storytelling
(August 6)
- Southern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development, and Education Center's Planning for Urban Freight Delivery: How Do City Codes Accommodate Freight
(August 19)
- Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' Transit Station Connectivity: How to Get it Done
(August 19)
- FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Value Capture Strategies-Advertising, Naming Rights, and Sponsorships
(August 20)
- American Trails' The Catalytic Impact of Trails on Communities
(August 27)
- Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology Conference: Shaping the Future of Mobility
(August 31 - 2, 2020)
- American Trails' Effective Wayfinding Signage: Trail System, Planning, Design, and Implementation
(September 10)
- NACTO's Designing Cities 2020
(September 14 - 17, 2020)
- National Bike to Work Week
(September 21 - 27, 2020)
- FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Tax Incremental Finance Districts and Transportation Reinvestment Zones
(September 24)
- AASHTO 2020 Joint Policy Conference: Connecting the DOTs
(September 29 - 1, 2020)
- North American Bikeshare Association's Together, We Keep Moving Virtual Conference
(September 30 - 1, 2020)
- Micromobility America Conference
(October 1 - 2, 2020)
- AMPO's Annual Conference
(October 26 - 30, 2020)
