FHWA supports livable communities through funding transportation projects and sponsoring activities that improve efficiency and provide better access to housing, jobs, essential services, saves time and money. FHWA helps develop performance measures to track the effectiveness of programs used to implement these goals.
Sustainability is often defined as “meeting the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”1 The goal of sustainability can be described as improving the “triple bottom line,” that is social, environmental, and economic outcomes.
Sustainability is both a characteristic and a goal of projects developed using the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) process. CSS projects should be “…in harmony with the community and preserve environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, and natural resource values of the area” according to NCHRP 480: A Guide to Best Practices for Achieving Context-Sensitive Solutions. CSS and Sustainability are compatible, mutually supportive, and inter-related.
For instance, FHWA’s sustainability self-assessment tool, INVEST, allows users to assess and enhance the sustainability of transportation plans, projects and programs. The tool includes a criterion called Context Sensitive Project Development: Deliver projects that harmonize transportation requirements and community values through effective decision-making and thoughtful design.
FHWA’s Sustainable Highways Initiative (SHI) supports programs and activities conducted across FHWA to facilitate balanced decision-making among environmental, economic, and social values. These activities range from sustainable pavement design to supporting livable communities. These, and other FHWA efforts to advance sustainability, also relate to context sensitive development principles such as preserving natural resources and strengthening community partnerships.
As an example, FHWA’s work on resilience supports both sustainability and CSS. FHWA is undertaking research and developing best practices for states and metropolitan regions to protect transportation investments from extreme weather, sea level change, and changes in environmental conditions.
As another example, FHWA’s work on energy and emissions also supports both areas. FHWA is working with States and metropolitan areas to expand transportation choices, establish a national network of alternative fueling infrastructure, and analyze strategies for reducing energy use and harmful emissions.
Resources:
1 The Brundtland Commission of the United Nations (1987)
