Research documenting organizational structures and management practices that can help state DOTs achieve environmental stewardship and streamlining has been issued under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 25-25, Task 37).  The research is based on interviews of 11 state DOTs. It identified twelve main themes on topics including leadership, organizational structure and staffing, culture, relationships with resource agencies, investment in technology, use of programmatic agreements, focusing on ecosystems, use of environmental management systems, and process improvements.  The report also includes a literature review. For more information, link to Effective Organizational Structures and Management Practices for Achieving Environmental Stewardship and Streamlining in Transportation Agencies (NCHRP 25-25, Task 37). (6-8-09)

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Incentive-based approaches for achieving environmental stewardship for transportation agencies are documented in a research report issued under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 25-25, Task 50). The report describes model approaches from state DOTs in areas including innovative cost-sharing, land swaps, or right-of-way assembly; programmatic approaches; Clean Water Act compliance; multi-resource-based approaches; and a range of other examples. The research also describes barriers to incentive-based approaches, ways to assess costs and benefits, and funding and regulatory help for implementation.  For more information, link to Incentive-Based Approaches for Environmental Stewardship (NCHRP 25-25, Task 50). (6-08-09)

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A new report summarizes a September 2008 international scanning study sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, AASHTO, and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program to evaluate innovative practices for right-of-way (ROW) and utility processes in Australia and Canada. Objectives of the study included an evaluation of how those countries coordinate ROW and utility activities with the environmental process. The scan team identified nine priorities for implementation in the United States, including pursuing corridor preservation strategies, enhancing cooperative relationships with property owners to facilitate timely property acquisition, promoting visualization techniques to communicate anticipated project impacts to property owners, and developing geographic information systems (GIS)-based ROW project and asset management systems. For more information, link to Streamlining and Integrating Right-of-Way and Utility Processes With Planning, Environmental, and Design Processes in Australia and Canada. (5-29-09)

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A new report describes the use of accelerated bridge construction and project delivery strategies to remove and replace a bridge over Interstate 215 in Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of a demonstration project under the Federal Highway Administration’s Highways for LIFE (HfL) program. The report describes innovative techniques used in the 4500 South Bridge project, including building of the superstructure offsite and construction of the substructure under the existing bridge without interfering with traffic flow. The report also highlights the use of innovative contracting, rapid bridge removal and replacement, HfL performance metrics measurement, and economic analysis. For more information, link to Utah Demonstration Project: Rapid Removal and Replacement of the 4500 South Bridge over I-215 in Salt Lake City. (5-5-09)

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Guidance on expediting required environmental reviews for projects receiving economic stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been issued by the Council on Environmental Quality. Section 1609 of the ARRA requires that environmental reviews for stimulus projects be “completed on an expeditious basis” and using “the shortest existing applicable process” under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The memorandum suggests that any proposals with the potential for a categorical exclusion be reviewed for extraordinary circumstances and that “concise and focused” environmental assessments be employed. The memorandum also encourages agencies to use programmatic analyses to consolidate reviews of related project proposals; adopt or incorporate by reference any NEPA analyses or documentation that already have been completed by other agencies; and consult with CEQ to address specific compliance issues. For more information, link to the CEQ Memorandum: Environmental Compliance and Guidance for Reporting NEPA Status and Progress for Recovery Act Activities and Projects. (4-3-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration has published a report documenting a Maine Department of Transportation demonstration project funded under the Highways For LIFE (HfL) program involving the reconstruction of two rural, short-span bridges over environmentally sensitive waterways. The reconstruction of the Lamson and Boom Birch bridges was conducted over the summer of 2007 and involved the innovative use of full roadway closures; accelerated bridge construction techniques, including prefabricated components; and aggressive interaction with the public. The report describes key project details including traffic management, innovative design and construction techniques, HfL performance metrics measurement, a return on investment analysis, a record of technology transfer activities, and lessons learned. For more information, link to Maine Demonstration Project: Reconstruction of Lamson and Boom Birch Bridges. (3-12-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration is conducting a user survey of its Environmental Review Toolkit website, which provides information and resources on environmental streamlining and stewardship for FHWA divisions, state departments of transportation, resource agencies, and consultants. The brief online survey is designed to help the agency determine what users are looking for, how they use the website, and how the site could be improved. For more information, link to the Environmental Review Toolkit Homepage. (3-6-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration has issued a report on a peer exchange held in September 2008 on moving complex environmental documents through the National Environmental Policy Act process in a timely fashion. The peer exchange, held by the FHWA Florida Division Office, Florida Department of Transportation, and state DOTs from Maryland, Missouri, Montana, and Utah, identified a series of strategies and approaches they have used to effectively move environmental documents through the EIS process. The report summarizes the presentations and discussions at the peer exchange, recommendations for successful tools and techniques, and highlights of the projects presented by the participants. For more information, link to the peer exchange report. (2-2-09)

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AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration have launched new websites describing techniques for state departments of transportation to speed the delivery of an anticipated $30 billion in highway projects as part of federal economic recovery legislation currently before Congress. The new AASHTO website, Expediting Economic Recovery Projects, features information on the planning process, streamlining the environmental review process, design and construction techniques, state DOT case studies, and related meetings and resources. FHWA’s new website, Economic Recovery, provides a series of questions and answers on economic recovery issues raised by state DOTs and a list of actions they can take to expedite project delivery. For more information, link to the AASHTO news release. (1-27-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Real Estate Services has published the Fall 2008 edition of its newsletter, which includes highlights of an international scanning tour of right-of-way (ROW) and utility processes. In September 2008 a team of professionals from FHWA, state departments of transportation, private industry, and academia met with transportation officials from Australia and Canada to discuss streamlining and integration of ROW and utility processes with project planning, environmental review, design, and construction to improve project delivery. The newsletter also features activities of various transportation partners, pilot projects, research, and upcoming conferences. For more information, link to the Fall 2008 Office of Real Estate Services Newsletter. (1-5-09)

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved a $516 million loan under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) for the Intercounty Connector (ICC) project in suburban Washington, D.C. The loan is intended to help the Maryland Transportation Authority complete the 18-mile, six-lane limited access toll highway, which when completed will link I-270 in Montgomery County with I-95/US 1 in Prince George’s County. The ICC will employ innovative open road, variable electronic tolling technology to help control congestion. For more information, link to the news release and the ICC website. (12-23-08)

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A report issued by the Government Accountability Office finds that federal regulatory requirements, including environmental reviews, can pose challenges and delays and may affect whether states decide to use federal funds for transportation projects. The study also notes that it is difficult to determine the costs and benefits of such requirements because they generally are not tracked by transportation agencies. The GAO report provides an overview of how the federal requirements are affecting state funding decisions and challenges they pose to transportation agencies, including an overview of efforts underway to reduce delays associated with environmental requirements. Although it provides no recommendations for revisions to environmental requirements, the report urges U.S. DOT to re-evaluate and consider modifying the Buy America threshold and the DBE personal net worth ceiling. For more information, link to Federal Requirements for Highways May Influence Funding Decisions and Create Challenges, but Benefits and Costs Are Not Tracked. (12-12-08)

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The Federal Highway Administration and the I-95 Corridor Coalition have signed an agreement committing the coalition – a partnership of transportation agencies, toll authorities, and related organizations along Interstate 95 – to deploy new technologies designed to reduce congestion on the interstate from Maine to Florida. The coalition has projected a 70 percent increase in travel along the I-95 corridor by 2040, with related increases in congestion, fuel consumption, and the volume of trucking. The agreement calls for the coalition to evaluate innovative approaches for project delivery and to educate states on the use of alternative project delivery, finance, and operation mechanisms. The agreement also includes a goal to double the fuel efficiency of the region’s vehicle fleet. For more information, link to the news release. (12-9-08)

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• Successes in Stewardship: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: FHWA as a Leader in NEPA Reporting - July 2009 NEW 
• Successes in Stewardship: Minimizing Negative Impacts on Wetlands through the New Final Joint Compensatory Mitigation Rule - June 2009 
• Successes in Stewardship: FHWA/FTA Final Rule Update to Environmental Impact and Related Procedures - May 2009  
• Successes in Stewardship: FHWA Hosts Environmental Consultation Peer Exchange on Successful Coordination Practices - April 2009  
• Successes in Stewardship: Balancing Infrastructure Improvements with Historic Preservation: The Front Street Rehabilitation Project - March 2009 
• Successes in Stewardship: New Climate Change Initiatives for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Vehicle Miles Traveled - February 2009 
• Successes in Stewardship: Meeting Environmental Requirements After a Bridge Collapse - January 2009 
• Successes in Stewardship Newsletter - FHWA Archive

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