The practice of Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) originated with the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969. NEPA required transportation agencies to consider the adverse environmental impact of transportation projects. Subsequent federal transportation legislation (ISTEA, TEA-21, SAFETEA-LU, MAP-21 and FAST Act) have continued to broaden the context transportation agencies should consider when planning and designing transportation projects. Today CSS in name or influence can be found in departments of transportation at the federal and state levels, and embodied in such concepts at Complete Streets, Livable Communities, and Active Transportation.
| 1969 | The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is passed, requiring transportation agencies to consider adverse impacts of road projects on the environment. |
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| 1988 | The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) establishes the National Highway System (NHS) Task Force to look beyond interstate completion. |
| 1991 | The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) establishes new requirements for multi-modal transportation planning and meaningful community involvement in transportation decision-making. |
| 1994 | The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Environmental Policy statement advises agencies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate to the fullest extent possible, adverse effects of projects on the neighborhood, community and natural resources. |
| AASHTO advises member departments it will develop design criteria and a design process for NHS routes that integrates safety, environmental, scenic, historic, community and preservation concerns. | |
| 1995 | NHS Designation Act allows that projects may need to conform to the particular environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, community and multi-modal needs of a locality. |
| 1997 | FHWA publishes Flexibility in Highway Design (FHWA-PD-97-062), identifying and explaining opportunities, flexibilities, and constraints facing designers and design teams responsible for the development of transportation facilities. |
| 1998 | Five state DOTs (Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, and Minnesota) and FHWA Federal Lands Highway pilot the Context Sensitive Design Approach following the “Thinking Beyond the Pavement” workshop hosted by Maryland State Highway Administration and co-sponsored by FHWA and AASHTO. |
| The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) further strengthens and enhances requirements for public involvement and integration of planning and environmental considerations in the decision-making process. | |
| 2002 | Transportation Research Board TRB publishes A Guide to Best Practices for Achieving Context Sensitive Solutions (NCHRP Report 480). |
| 2003 | FHWA sets the goal of all state DOTs practicing CSS by 2007. |
| Washington State Department of Transportation publishes the Building Projects That Build Communities. | |
| 2004 | FHWA and partners launch the Context Sensitive Solutions website to serve as a resource for practitioners. |
| AASHTO publishes A Guide for Achieving Flexibility in Highway Design. | |
| National Cooperative Highway Research Program publishes the Performance Measures for Context Sensitive Solutions – A Guidebook for State DOTs. | |
| TRB publishes the Context-Sensitive Design Around the Country: Some Examples. | |
| 2005 | The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU) Section 6008 authorizes the Department of Transportation to consider the characteristics and qualities of CSS in establishing standards to be used on the National Highway System. |
| AASHTO surveys members on CSS practices and hold its first competition Best Practices in Context Sensitive Design Competition. | |
| Washington State Department of Transportation publishes the Understanding Flexibility in Transportation Design. | |
| 2006 | “National CSS Peer Exchange” is held in Baltimore, MD sponsored by FHWA and AASHTO. Over 260 participants from 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Nova Scotia participate in peer exchanges, and discussions on challenges to implementation. |
| American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosts “Context Sensitive Solutions in Practice: What You Need to Know,” in Atlanta, GA. | |
| The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) publishes Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable Communities. This book advances the successful use of CSS in the planning and design of major urban thoroughfares for walkable communities. The publication is superseded by Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach (2010). | |
| Center for Environmental Excellence publishes the Best Practices in CSS Competition. | |
| 2007 | FHWA and AASHTO publish a strategic plan to mainstream CSS practices throughout government agencies that develop transportation projects. |
| FHWA publishes Integrating Context Sensitive Solutions into Transportation Practice. | |
| 2008 | FHWA sponsors Peer Exchanges in Indiana and Nevada providing CSS Action planning Grants and extensive technical assistance training. |
| 2009 | FHWA launches the “National Dialog on Context Sensitive Solutions” to provide CSS technical assistance to communities. |
| TRB publishes Quantifying the Benefits of Context Sensitive Solutions (NCHRP Report 642). | |
| 2010 | FHWA publishes Going the Distance Together: Context Sensitive Solutions for Better Transportation A Practitioner’s Guide for NCHRP Project 8-68. |
| ITE publishes Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach. | |
| FHWA publishes the CSS National Dialog Final Report summarizing the results of five regional workshops and a national webcast that collectively drew more than one thousand participants. | |
| 2011 | FHWA initiates the “CSS Champions Program,” profiling and providing tactical assistance to four communities in the process of planning, developing and implementing transportation projects using a CSS process. |
| FHWA launches a second “National Dialog on Context Sensitive Solutions” to introduce CSS principles, identify best practices, foster peer support community and link CSS to initiatives such as Livability, Complete Streets, Sustainability and Every Day Counts. Ten regional workshops/webcasts and two national webcasts attract thousands of participants. | |
| TRB publishes Going the Distance Together: A Citizen’s Guide to Context Sensitive Solutions for Better Transportation (NCHRP 184 web only) for NCHRP Project 8-68. | |
| 2013 | TRB publishes “Practical Highway Design Solutions: A Synthesis of Highway Practice” (NCHRP Report 443). |
| 2014 | FHWA publishes the CSS National Dialog 2 Final Report summarizing the results of the workshops and webcasts. |
| 2015 | FHWA introduces “Performance Based Practical Design” (PBPD) as a complement to CSS. PBPD is a tool allowing state DOTs to scope projects to meet an identified core purpose and need. |
| ITE publishes Integration of Safety in the Project Development Process and Beyond: A Context Sensitive Approach. |
