Urban Transportation CouncilGreen Guide for Roads Task Force

TAC 2009 Annual Conference and ExhibitionVancouver

Goal

• The intent is to promote sustainable growth

and alternative multi-modal transportation

solutions within the corridor, along with safe, long

lasting roadway infrastructure and green

construction principles.

Approach

• Formed a Green Guide for Roads Task Force in August, 2008 and currently has 21 members

cross-section of TAC members with experience in planning, design, construction and maintenance of roadways

• Task Force identified:

13 Areas where sustainability principles can be applied

Requirements within each Area

Best Practices within each Area

Self-evaluation assessment methodology

Development Process: Submitted a Request for Funding Proposal to UTC and

TAC Board in April 2009 to hire a summer student intern. Board approved and hired a Graduate Student-Stefan Cermak, UofT, Master of Science in Planning, by end of April: Student worked exclusively with 13 subtask groups

throughout the 4 summer months and formatted areas/sections of the Guide based on inputs from subtask groups and independent research

Formed 13 Subtask Groups based on the “Areas” of the Guide identified in the next two slides and individual member’s knowledge/expertise Each subtask group worked with Stefan Cermak and

resulted with 40 + pages of Guide document produced, which becomes the Master Worksheet Templates for further development

Areas

1. Community Interface

2. Valued Environmental Components and Land Consumption

3. Mobility Choices

4. Intersections and Driveways

5. Hard Surfaces

6. Landscaping

Areas

7. Amenities

8. Drainage

9. Safety

10. Energy Consumption

11. Construction

12. Operations and Maintenance

13. Services and Utilities

Status

Areas

• Believe list is inclusive with minimal overlap

Requirements

• Comprehensive, but concerns about overlaps

Best Practices

• Some concerns about potentially missing BPs

Assessment Methodology

• Concept developed; certainly needs more work

Sample Requirements

Item 3 of 13 - Mobility Choices

1. Road design considers all users- Meet long-term travel needs- Increase active transportation options- Reduce travel demand- Measure performance

2. Maximize person movement capacity- Prioritize modes on energy savings- Evaluate trade-offs between off-peak and peak needs

Sample Requirements

Item 3 of 13 - Mobility Choices (2)

3. Sustainable Economics- Full cost pricing- Decrease per capita congestion costs- Increase transit affordability- Increase freight speed and reliability- Use capital investments on sustainable projects

4. Promote Pedestrian Movement- Barrier-free sidewalks- Separate pedestrians from traffic- Provide amenities

Sample Requirements

Item 3 of 13 - Mobility Choices (3)

5. Promote Bicycles- Separate bicycles from peds and traffic- Improved bicycle facilities

6. Promote Transit- Transit priority- High quality transit facilities- Appropriate levels of service

Refinement and Validation

• Have we got all the “Areas” covered??

• Do the Requirements make sense – any missing, any overlaps (double counting)??

• Any Best Practices we should add??

Next Steps1. The Task Force met F2F on October 15 and decide to

recommend the following next step: Recommend a Consultant Assignment and transfer the

Guide Development to a Project Steering Committee, while exploring opportunity for the Task Force to act in a technical advisory capacity to the Steering Committee

2. Aim is to complete the Guide by September 2010 for final review and publication

Motion to UTC:

To retain a consultant to transform the Green Guide for Roads Working Templates, developed by the Task Force, into a Self-evaluation Guide for an estimated cost of $100K. This represents an initial step towards the ultimate goal of developing a LEED type accreditation system.

THANK YOUTask Force welcomes Your CommentsTask Force welcomes Your Comments

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