Prepared by Keith Robinson, ASLA Principal Landscape Architect

1. AASHTO Technical Committeeon Environmental DesignReport to AASHTO Subcommittee on DesignIndianapolis, Indiana July 21, 2009 Prepared by Keith Robinson, ASLA Principal Landscape Architect California Department of Transportation Division of Design Sacramento, CA Presented by Keith Harrison, P.E. Safety/Geometric Design Engineer Federal Highway Administration Resource Center San Francisco, CA

2. Technical Committee on Environmental Design Chair: Tim Stark, Wyoming (N) Vice-Chair: Dan Stewart, Pennsylvania (D) Secretary: Keith Harrison, FHWA, San Francisco AASHTO Liaison: Jim McDonnell Region 1 Maryland Karen Coffman(L) New York Philip Bell(L) Vermont John Narowski(N) Region 2 Florida Jeff Caster(L) South Carolina Mark Lester(D) West Virginia Greg Akers(N) 1 VACANCY Region 3 Indiana Louis Feagans(D) Iowa Mark Kerper(N) 2 VACANCIES Region 4 California Keith Robinson(L) Hawaii Chris Dacus(L) Idaho Greg Vitley(N) Utah Becky Stromness(N)

3. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Objective and Scope • Review, develop, and recommend AASHTO positions on environmental design issues for the AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Design, as required or assigned.

4. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Continuing coordination with the following committees: • Hydrology and Hydraulics. • AASHTO’s Context Sensitive Solutions/Design Task Force (or subsequent committee). • TRB Task Forces on CSS and Visualization in Transportation and the Committee onLandscape and Environmental Design.

5. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Publication ResponsibilityThe technical committee is responsible for developing and updating the following documents: • Guide on Evaluation and Abatement of Traffic Noise • Guide to Wetland Mitigation Issues for Transportation Designers • Policy on Land Use and Source Control Aspects of Traffic Noise Attenuation • Visualization in Transportation • Guide for Transportation Landscape and Environmental Design

6. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Guide on Evaluation and • Abatement of Traffic Noise (1993) • 2004 review determined this to be current and relevant. • Recommend placing this document on the AASHTO web site.

7. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Guide to Wetland Mitigation Issues for Transportation Designers (1996) • 2004 review determined this to be current. • Significant recent changes in wetland mitigation requirements warrants an evaluation of this document to be considered for a complete TCED review.

8. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Policy on Land Use and Source Control Aspects of Traffic Noise Attenuation, 1980 • TCED review in 2004 determined this document to be obsolete. • TCED recommends it be REMOVED from the AASHTO web listing of TCED publications.

9. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Visualization in Transportation, 2003 • A web-based publication. • Content is current. • Updated once since the original 2002 web posting.

10. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Guide for Transportation Landscape and Environmental Design (1991) • Currently being updated as a NCHRP project. • Project developed and sponsored by Transportation Research Board AFB-40 -Committee on Landscape and Environmental Design • Research contractor’s effort will complete soon(?)

11. Updating the 1991 Guide for Transportation Landscape & Environmental Design • TRB AFB-40 • Volunteer effort, 2000 – 2004 • Proved to be overwhelming task • NCHRP Project 15-33 • Work begun March 2006 • “Contentious project from the beginning” • AASHTO TCED • First look early 2008; not well received • “Final” draft much improved • Combined comments to contractor April 2009

12. Need for Update • TRB and AASHTO identified need and goals for the update. • Obsolete content • Not used by transportation professionals

13. New Title and Scope • Creating Complete Roadway Corridors Landscape Architecture and Roadway Design • Development of Corridor Scale Concepts • Focus on Integration of Roads, Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Modes • Furtherance of CSS Concept implementation • Not intended to be a design manual • Does not create standards

14. Content Comparison • Old • Introduction of Landscape and Environmental Design in Transportation • Landscape and Environmental Elements in Highway Design • Environmental Design • Landscape and Geometric Design • Construction Considerations in Design • Roadside Management • Highway Related Areas • Landscape Considerations for Airports, Mass Transit Facilities, Ports and Railroads • Multiple-Use/Joint Development

15. Content Comparison • New • Complete Corridors and Evolution of Process • Guiding principles of Landscape and Environmental Design • Defining Corridor Types • Elements in the Roadway Landscape • Creating Corridors • Corridor Examples • Practice Examples • Links 15

16. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 1 - Complete Corridors and the Evolution of Process • History of road development • Interstate Era • Federal Policy evolution

17. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 2 - Guiding principles of Landscape and Environmental Design • Environmental • Context • Civic Design

18. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 3 - Defining Corridor Types

19. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 4 - Elements in the Roadway Landscape • Roadway • Roadway Structures • Roadside • Roadside Structures • Outside the Right of Way

20. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Ch 4 - Roadside • Grading • Stormwater • Vegetation • Vegetation management • Soil • Pavement edge • Rest areas • Scenic overlooks

21. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Ch 4 - Outside the R/W • Land Use • Access Management • Visual Impact Assessment • Scenic Byways • Outdoor Advertising • Park and Ride • Wireless Communication Towers

22. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 5 - Creating Corridors • Urban Core • Urban • Suburban • Exurban • Rural • Remote

23. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 6 - Corridor Examples • Urban Core • Urban • Suburban • Exurban • Rural • Remote

24. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 7 - Practice Examples • Summary • Benefits • Background • Process • Implementation • Resources

25. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Chapter 8 – Links • Resources • Bibliography • Glossary • etc

26. Creating Complete Roadway Corridors • Status • NCHRP Panel evaluation/balloting • TRBAFB-40 evaluation • AASHTO TCED balloting/recommendation • AASHTO SCOD recommendation

27. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Work Underway/Planned for 2009 • Coordinating with the NCHRP project panel updating the 1991 Guide for Transportation Landscape and Environmental Design. • Proposed activities: • Web-based guidance on new methods for retaining and using storm water runoff in ROW (jointly with TCHH) • AASHTO’s CSS work and publications • TRB Task Forces on CSS and Visualization

28. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • Publications (current or proposed) that the TCED committee is interested in participating in updating/developing, now or in the future, include: • On-Site Drainage Retention, not Conveyance (currently proposed as a new topic) • Developing and Retaining an Effective CSS Program (currently proposed as a new topic)

29. Technical Committee on Environmental Design • 5-Year Goals • Retain multi-disciplinary membership • Gain exception from SCOH/SCOD rule which limits eligible Chairs of Technical Committees • Fill remaining vacancies • Gain approval for 1 additional Region 4 member • Share CSS activities • Publication updates • 2nd request to place pocket-sized 40-page 1993 Guide on Evaluation and Abatement of Traffic Noise on the AASHTO Web site. We have determined the guidance to still be current, but few ask for it in printed version.

30. Questions?