FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
2011 ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
For Excellence in Environmental Streamlining:
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project
Washington State Department of Transportation
United States Forest Service
The I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project (I-90 Project) exemplifies how ongoing collaboration can ensure that ecological issues are effectively addressed while advancing critical, large-scale transportation projects. The I-90 Project posed many design and environmental challenges because of its location in a high-altitude mountain pass with heavy traffic volume, the presence of endangered species, narrow project corridors, and short construction work windows. By partnering with Tribes, conservation groups, and resource and environmental agencies, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) quickly generated a diverse variety of creative approaches to improve mobility through the corridor while preserving the surrounding environment. The collaborative approach taken by WSDOT and its partners enabled the team to consider ecological issues early, thereby streamlining the environmental review process and saving both time and money. The preferred alternative that resulted from the National Environmental Policy Act process will improve wildlife connectivity and mitigate hydrological impacts while improving transportation mobility and safety.
For Excellence in Cultural and Historical Resources:
New Mississippi River Bridge Project
Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois State Archeological Survey
The New Mississippi River Bridge project, a coordinated effort to construct the first bridge in 40 years to connect downtown St. Louis, Missouri, and southwestern Illinois, demonstrates the Illinois Department of Transportation's deep commitment to preserving heritage sites while working efficiently to improve our Nation's transportation infrastructure. Preliminary Illinois State Archeological Survey (ISAS) testing for the New Mississippi River Bridge unearthed Native American residential dwellings, and subsequently launched one of the largest archeological excavations involving early Mississippian culture. By 2011, archeologists had identified 1,511 prehistoric features dating from AD 1050 to AD 1200 that provided critical insights into life in this civilization. The IDOT and ISAS worked creatively and tirelessly to ensure that the New Mississippi River Bridge Project remained on schedule and on budget during the excavation. When completed in 2014, the $749 million New Mississippi River Bridge will aid in the efficient movement of people, goods, and services throughout the St. Louis region. The project exemplifies how transportation and preservation stakeholders can successfully collaborate to ensure that construction and preservation projects can not only coexist, but thrive.
For Excellence in Recycling and Reuse:
Wilkes County Rest Area Project
North Carolina Department of Transportation, Roadside Environmental Unit
Innovative Design Inc.
Vannoy Construction Co.
The Wilkes County Rest Area, situated on 21 acres along US-421 in North Carolina, exemplifies recycling and reuse excellence. Opened in 2009, the $10 million rest area includes a 10,030-square-foot visitor's center constructed from products that consist of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content. The visitor's center is North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) first Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-rated facility. Seven large trees that previously stood on the site now serve as log benches along a nature trail created from shrubs cleared during construction and chipped onsite. Overall, NCDOT and building contractor JR Vannoy and Sons succeeded in reducing project construction waste by 91.3 percent. Due to the success of the Wilkes County Rest Area Project, NCDOT now regularly uses materials that contain recycled content, and requires that all building projects recycle at least 50 percent of construction waste. This innovative approach to construction projects will ensure that the public has access to the rest area facilities, while minimizing the environmental impact.
For Excellence in Environmental Research:
GIS-based Wetland and Stream Predictive Models
North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, Project Development and Analysis, Natural Environmental Unit
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) partnered with the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) to develop two geographic information system (GIS)-based predictive models using light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-derived topographic data. The models generated spatial datasets for two pilot projects that combined field-verified and model-produced wetlands and streams. These models enable reliable identification of wetland and stream locations using GIS, thereby reducing the time and cost of field delineations and providing early awareness of potential wetland impact areas during the initial project planning process. The results of the pilot project models are being incorporated into a larger State-sponsored effort to provide up-to-date GIS data layers for public and private use. This project exemplifies how innovative technologies can be used to speed the environmental assessment process and ultimately advance transportation projects while protecting the environment.
For Excellence in Air Quality Improvement and Global Climate Change:
Portland Streetcar Loop Project
City of Portland, Oregon, Portland Bureau of Transportation
Portland Streetcar Inc.
The Portland Streetcar Loop Project is a 3.4-mile extension of the existing and highly successful Portland Streetcar system, which operates on the west side of the Willamette River. Serving approximately 12,000 Portland riders each weekday, streetcars produce no emissions and are recognized for decreasing noise in urban environments. To further reduce the environmental impact, Portland purchased a renewable power source to operate its streetcars. Funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program were transferred to the Streetcar Loop Project to construct new sidewalks on the west side of Grand Avenue at the Hawthorne and Morrison bridgeheads. These improvements were a high priority for Central Eastside residents and businesses as the new sidewalks will enhance the pedestrian environment by improving connectivity and providing access to buses and streetcars. The Portland Streetcar Loop Project supports the continued development of a high-quality, livable urban environment in Portland by reaching new density areas, reducing auto trips, and delivering safe, clean, cost-effective transit services.
For Excellence in Air Quality Improvement and Global Climate Change:
Portland Streetcar Loop Project
City of Portland, Oregon, Portland Bureau of Transportation
Portland Streetcar Inc.
The Portland Streetcar Loop Project is a 3.4-mile extension of the existing and highly successful Portland Streetcar system, which operates on the west side of the Willamette River. Serving approximately 12,000 Portland riders each weekday, streetcars produce no emissions and are recognized for decreasing noise in urban environments. To further reduce the environmental impact, Portland purchased a renewable power source to operate its streetcars. Funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program were transferred to the Streetcar Loop Project to construct new sidewalks on the west side of Grand Avenue at the Hawthorne and Morrison bridgeheads. These improvements were a high priority for Central Eastside residents and businesses as the new sidewalks will enhance the pedestrian environment by improving connectivity and providing access to buses and streetcars. The Portland Streetcar Loop Project supports the continued development of a high-quality, livable urban environment in Portland by reaching new density areas, reducing auto trips, and delivering safe, clean, cost-effective transit services.
For Excellence in Environmental Leadership:
Paul Wagner
Washington State Department of Transportation
Paul Wagner has demonstrated environmental leadership over the course of his 20-year career at Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) where he has fostered the growth of a transportation program that improves habitat connectivity and is sensitive to the environmental impacts of surface transportation. As Biology Branch Manager, Mr. Wagner collaborated with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to inventory and assess fish passage barriers, resulting in the correction of 250 such barriers to date. He also advocated for the incorporation of wildlife crossings in transportation projects to promote ecological and habitat connectivity. Through Mr. Wagner's initiative, WSDOT and WDFW teamed with other partners to develop a Statewide Habitat Connectivity Analysis that identified wildlife movement corridors between habitat concentration areas for use in transportation planning. Mr. Wagner has been a champion of the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation mission, and active in national research and guidance development including the Federal Highway Administration's Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects. His dedication and commitment to protecting the environment has helped WSDOT effectively address ecological concerns throughout the transportation project delivery process.
For Excellence in Context Sensitive Solutions:
New York Route 347 Project
New York State Department of Transportation, Region 10
New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) worked with stakeholders and the public to design a reconstructed New York Route 347 that improved safety and mobility while reflecting the character of the communities through which it passes. This collaboration resulted in a vision plan for the 15-mile corridor, which lies along Long Island's north shore and traverses three distinct municipalities. The New York Route 347 Project improves safety by reducing the speed limit, making crosswalks shorter and more visible, and providing dedicated rights of way for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project also enhances transit service by providing bus shelters and adding safe bus turnouts. The New York Route 347 corridor will be transformed into a greenway with separate bicycle and pedestrian paths and several “greenway stops” that will provide bicyclists and pedestrians with a place to rest and enjoy the natural environment surrounding the corridor. NYSDOT and the public expect that the improvements on New York Route 347 will enhance the character of the surrounding communities and encourage the use of alternative transportation modes, promoting livability and sustainability.
For Excellence in Nonmotorized Transportation:
Delta Ponds Bridge
City of Eugene
Mowat Construction
OBEC Consulting Engineers
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Delta Ponds Bridge is an iconic transportation facility that provides nonmotorized access across the Delta Highway in Eugene. Prior to the construction of the bridge, the highway formed a physical barrier between the Willakenzie neighborhood and the Delta Ponds park land and wildlife habitat. The City of Eugene identified the need for a bicycle and pedestrian connection across the highway in 1979 and began the design process for the bridge in 2007. Construction was fast-tracked due to the availability of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds in 2009. Additional local funds were used to make improvements to sidewalks and roadways leading to the bridge approaches. Dedicated in September 2010, the elegantly designed bridge has two soaring pylons and architectural elements evoking the Greek letter Delta. By providing safe and attractive bicycle and pedestrian access to the existing riverside path system, the Delta Ponds Bridge encourages residents to consider healthy and active transportation alternatives.
For Excellence in Nonmotorized Transportation:
Bizz Johnson Trail Bridge No. 9 Repair Project
Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division
Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office
The Bizz Johnson Trail Bridge No. 9 Repair Project restored dedicated bicycle and pedestrian access across the Susan River in Lassen County, California. A 90-foot segment of the 270-foot historic railroad-turned-bicycle/pedestrian bridge had been destroyed by wildfire in 2000. The Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division (FHWA-CFLHD) partnered with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to replace the damaged segment and restore the entire span. To maintain the historical character of the bridge, the agencies installed replacement steel girders on the damaged segment that mimic the aesthetics of the original I-beam girders on the undamaged portion of the bridge. Lead-based paint was removed from the existing steel trestles and girders, and interpretive signage to educate users about the history of the bridge, which was built in 1913, was added. The bridge was outfitted with decking to safely accommodate wheelchairs and horse-drawn carriages as well as bicyclists and pedestrians. Completed in October 2010, the renovated historic railroad bridge once again allows bicyclists and pedestrians traffic-free access across the Susan River through the Lassen National Forest.
For Excellence in Ecosystems, Habitat, and Wildlife:
North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method
North Carolina Department of Transportation Natural Environment Unit
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Wilmington District
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
North Carolina Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program
North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Federal Highway Administration
Atkins North America, Inc.
Axiom Environmental
In 2003, Federal and State agencies partnered to form the North Carolina Wetland Functional Assessment Team (WFAT). WFAT's goal was to develop an accurate, consistent, rapid, observational, and scientifically-based field method to identify and rate the functionality of a wetland during project-related wetland delineation. The resulting North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method (NC WAM) takes no more than 15 minutes to apply, and has been field tested at more than 200 sites across the State. The NC WAM uses 22 field metrics to evaluate 10 defined subfunctions of wetland hydrology, water quality, and habitat. Field data are entered into a computer program that compares them to reference conditions for each of the 16 wetland types present in North Carolina and assigns high, medium, and low ratings. The WFAT and its consulting team created a user manual, a GIS-based toolbox, and multi-day office and field training classes to educate private- and public-sector users. The NC WAM will facilitate project planning, alternatives analysis, compliance and enforcement, mitigation planning, and tracking functional replacement. This project exemplifies how technology can be effectively leveraged to reduce project time and cost while restoring and preserving ecosystem integrity and function.
For Excellence in Ecosystems, Habitat, and Wildlife:
Washington Connected Landscapes
Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Co-led by the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Washington Habitat Connectivity Working Group brings together diverse participants to produce tools and analyses that identify opportunities for habitat connectivity. In December 2010, the Working Group completed a geographic information system (GIS) analysis of habitat conditions in Washington. The statewide analysis incorporated habitat and movement needs for 16 focal species, identified habitat networks of high natural integrity, and produced maps of the largest contiguous habitat blocks and the best linkages for connecting them. The Working Group also created a GIS toolkit that planners can use to design projects that allow for the long-term movements of wildlife while minimizing collisions with the traveling public. The habitat connectivity assessment will reduce time and costs associated with environmental permitting, and can be used as one criterion to determine which highway segments will receive funds for wildlife-friendly improvements.
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