To better understand and address the risks posed by extreme weather events, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will conduct research to better predict the expected exposure of infrastructure to different precipitation, temperature, and storm patterns. FHWA will also work to integrate resiliency and sustainability into transportation planning and project development.

Spotlight Project: Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Highway Resilience

Green infrastructure such as dunes, wetlands, living shorelines, reefs, and beaches can protect highways from coastal flooding while offering environmental benefits. FHWA sponsored five pilot projects to assess the potential for such techniques to protect specific locations along coastal roads and bridges, held peer exchanges, and developed an implementation guide to assist agencies designing nature-based solutions.

For more information, see Nature-Based Resilience for Coastal Highways.

As part of larger efforts to improve the Nation’s energy security, FHWA is exploring alternative fuels and opportunities to improve fuel efficiency, including designating alternative fuel corridors for domestic production of alternative fuels and opportunities to reduce fuel use in construction, operations, and maintenance of infrastructure.

Spotlight Project: Alternative Fuel Corridors

FHWA recently completed the fifth round of designations for the Alternative Fuels Corridor program. With the designation of these corridors, FHWA is continuing to establish a national network of alternative fueling and charging infrastructure along national highway system corridors. FHWA supports the expansion of this national network through a process:

• Providing the opportunity for formal corridor designations on an annual basis.
• Ensuring that corridor designations are selected based on criteria that promote the build out of a national network.
• Developing national signage and branding to help catalyze applicant and public interest.
• Encouraging State and regional cooperation and collaboration.
• Bringing together a consortium of stakeholders including State agencies, utilities, alternative fuel providers, and car manufacturers to promote and advance alternative fuel corridor designations in conjunction with the department of energy.

Rounds 1 through 5 of FHWA's Alternative Fuel Corridor Designations, have included: 125 nominations received from State and local officials, portions/segments of 134 Interstates, along with 125 US highways/State roads, comprises 49 States plus District of Columbia, covers approximately 166,000 miles of the National Highway System (all fuels combined).

For more information, see Alternative Fuel Corridors.

Image source: FHWA.

FHWA is exploring opportunities to use highway rights-of-way to generate additional benefits. Innovative uses of rights-of-way take into consideration operational and safety concerns, restrictions on right-of way uses, and relevant data or technical analyses needed to understand benefits.

Spotlight Project: Alternative Uses of the Right-of-Way

State DOTs and local public agencies increasingly receive requests to use highway rights-of-way for uses other than vehicular travel. The Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) will conduct a multiphased nationwide study to explore these requests, and potential flexibilities in right-of-way use. The study will quantify existing operational and safety requirements, examine current property management processes, determine the feasibility of alternative uses, and identify opportunities for streamlining property management and approval processes.

For more information, see Roadside Renewables.