Posts – Page 29 – Environmental Technical Assistance Program Newsletter

ETAP Podcast: The Ray Eyes Future Roadway Developments

This episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast interviews Laura Rogers (seen above), deputy director of The Ray, to examine the future of roadways in America.

Founded in 2014, The Ray is a Georgia-based corporate venture devoted to roadway technology testing and collaborates with a number of state departments of transportation across the country. For example, in 2019, it formed a public-private-philanthropic partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation to create and install a digital testing environment focused on critical interstate use cases, such as crash and weather warnings, for stakeholder engagement and education.

The first phase of work focused on an 18-mile corridor of rural interstate, known as The Ray Highway, and established as a connected vehicle ecosystem with six dual-mode and dual-active roadside radios, a number of cellular V2X or C-V2X equipped vehicles owned by the Georgia DOT connected to Panasonic’s CIRRUS cloud-based data management platform.

Additionally, in April, The Ray and consulting firm NGI recently released the NextGen Highways Feasibility Study for the Minnesota Department of Transportation that examined strategies for “co-locating” electric and communications infrastructure in highway right-of-ways or ROWs.

That study focused on the potential deployment of buried, high-voltage/direct current or HVDC transmission lines within Minnesota interstate and highway ROWs – an effort that offers broader implications for highway ROW strategies in other states.

In this episode of the ETAP podcast, Rogers discussed the “safety, condition, and sustainability” concerns surrounding America’s road networks, which she stressed are “vital” to the nationwide movement of goods and people.

Prior to joining The Ray, Rogers served as the sustainability and energy program manager at the Maryland Department of Transportation for six years as part of a long career in the federal and private sectors working on environmental management and sustainability issues.

To listen to this podcast, click here.

Hawaii DOT wants plastic waste to hit the road

The Hawaii Department of Transportation is moving forward on two fronts to transform plastic water bottles from beach-littering ‘ōpala’ or rubbish to recycled road material.

[Above photo by the Hawaii DOT]

Engineers are testing an asphalt mix with recycled plastic polymer on a 1.2-mile road segment in Honolulu to see how well it holds up in Hawaii’s tropical environment.

Meanwhile, Hawaii DOT is using an FHWA Climate Challenge Initiative grant to help finance its own $6 million plastic recycling research facility to turn plastic waste into road polymer and other useful transportation products.

The pilot project is the southern end of Fort Weaver Road; a two-lane bi-directional road with that carries 6,200 vehicles per day on average. The roadway was “perfect for the pilot” because the base structure was in good condition, but the wearing recourse required “significant rehabilitation or replacement,” said Ed Sniffen, Hawaii DOT’s deputy director of highways.

He explained that the agency plans to divide the roadway segment into three sections: the control section, which will be composed exclusively of Polymer Modified Asphalt or PMA; a second section incorporating plastic into the PMA; and a third section adding plastic to traditional ‘Hot Mix’ asphalt.

Once construction is finished in July 2023, researchers at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and Hawaii Pacific University will evaluate the three sections for performance and the potential of the material to release microplastics into the environment.

“Even though we’re using a material that has been used on roads in the United States for over five years, we need to make sure the mix is right for Hawaii and our environment,” Sniffen said.

Anticipating that the pilot project will be a success, Hawaii DOT already is planning the state’s first plastic recycling facility, expected to be operational within two years.

The facility will use plastic waste found in the Pacific Ocean to manufacture pellets for roadway use, Sniffen noted, “then could potentially move into creating plastic products for other infrastructure like plastic reinforcing materials for concrete.”

That is important for Hawaii because it must import plastic pellets from the mainland while it has an overabundance of hometown plastic that serves no useful purpose.

“Keeping our own waste plastic out of landfills in a manner that will improve our roads and environment will be a tremendous benefit to everyone in Hawaii,” Sniffen added.

Several other state departments of transportation are engaged in similar plastic recycling efforts.

In November 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wrapped up a pilot project that used plastic pellets made from grocery bags, milk jugs, and other recyclable plastics in an asphalt reconstruction project.

The pellets were added to the asphalt that covered two quarter-mile test sections of the project at the entrance to Ridley Creek State Park, about 15 miles west of Philadelphia.

In December 2021, the Illinois Department of Transportation started working with the Illinois Center for Transportation to develop more “sustainable pavement practices,” which include ways to incorporate more recycled materials such as plastic into asphalt mixes.

Both are working on a joint project – dubbed “R27-196-HS: Rheology-Chemical Based Procedure to Evaluate Additives/Modifiers Used in Asphalt Binders for Performance Enhancements: Phase 2” – to investigate methods to “soften” asphalt binder to reduce pavement cracking.

Environmental News Highlights – October 26, 2022

FHWA Issues ‘Climate Challenge’ Funds to 25 State DOTs

On October 20, the Federal Highway Administration provided $7.1 million in total funds to 25 state departments of transportation involved in the agency’s ‘Climate Challenge’ program. This is the program’s first funding cycle, FHWA said.

[Above photo by the Oklahoma DOT]

The agency launched its Climate Challenge initiative to quantify the impacts of sustainable pavements and to demonstrate ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in highway projects using sustainable construction materials. That effort is part of a broad array of climate-focused programs FHWA kicked off in April.

“As the sector of the U.S. economy that produces the most carbon emissions, transportation must be a central arena for solutions in our fight against climate change,” said Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in a statement.

“Sustainable pavement may not sound glamorous, but it’s an example of the kind of creative and important work needed at this moment, and we’re proud to support innovative efforts in this field across the country,” he noted.

State DOTs that received awards include:

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation received a $312,000 grant to support a $1 million project to coat a 2,000-foot section of North Road where it crosses Great Creek with permeable pavement. This project seeks to demonstrate the viability of using permeable pavement as a way to mitigate the impacts of coastal flooding on low-lying roads.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation received a $312,000 grant to help build a $6 million plastic recycling research facility. Expected to be up and running within two years, the facility seeks to convert waste plastic into new products for use in transportation infrastructure projects.
The Maryland Department of Transportation received a pair of grants to investigate the service life and environmental performance of products and materials used in highway projects, such as asphalt and concrete, as well as how dredged material from port construction could create vegetated earth berms to help control erosion at highway project sites.

The Climate Challenge Initiative is part of an FHWA-wide effort announced during Earth Week 2022 to identify innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas or GHG emissions from the transportation sector. It also supports the new Carbon Reduction Program FHWA rolled out in April that provides $6.4 billion in formula funding over five years for states and localities to develop carbon reduction strategies and other climate change issues.

FHWA’s Climate Challenge program provides funding, training, and technical assistance to help state DOTs and other public sector stakeholders explore the use of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Together, LCAs and EPDs illustrate the environmental impacts of pavement materials and products, including quantifying GHG emissions. These standard practices can inform decisions for highway construction projects, pavement material, and design.

During this cycle of Climate Challenge funding, FHWA plans to host peer exchanges and webinars and develop case study reports to share lessons learned, outcomes, and next steps for further implementation. Over the next two years, participants will receive training and work with various stakeholders including industry and academia to implement projects that quantify the environmental impacts of pavements using LCAs and EPDs.

Wildlife, Environment Key Focal Points of I-70 Project

Key initial components of the $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project kicked off recently by the Colorado Department of Transportation include the construction of wildlife crossings and fences as well as a “mobility hub” to provide transit and electric vehicle services.

[Above photo by the Colorado DOT]

The project will rebuild a seven-mile stretch of I-70 from exit 248 northwest of Evergreen to exit 241 in eastern Idaho Springs and work to eliminate a bottleneck on one of the most congested stretches of the I-70 Mountain Corridor.

Early construction begins this fall with a new wildlife crossing at Genesee and roundabouts along US 40 between Evergreen and Floyd Hill, with major construction on the corridor starting in spring 2023.

“The I-70 Floyd Hill Project will improve travel time, reliability, and safety,” explained Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado DOT, in a statement.

“By eliminating the bottleneck at Floyd Hill, the project will significantly ease congestion and decrease the number and severity of crashes through more consistent traffic flow and speeds,” she said. “The project will provide alternate emergency access through a newly connected frontage road system that strengthens safety and mobility for thousands of Coloradans that rely on I-70 to access their communities and for the millions who visit the mountains annually. Essential to this project are multi-modal options, including our Pegasus van service which already started last spring, and improvements to the Greenway trail for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy Clear Creek County.”

Key wildlife and environmental improvements involved in the I-70 Floyd Hill project include:

Improving the multimodal Greenway trail.
Building wildlife crossings and fencing, and restoring nearby creek and riparian areas to protect and preserve the local environment and wildlife.
Developing a mobility hub with electric vehicle infrastructure and accessibility options that integrate into the state’s I-70 transit service, including the new Pegasus van service added in May 2022 to the corridor.
Providing permanent air quality monitors and coordinating rural broadband access with local communities.

Environmental News Highlights – October 19, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Comments on FHWA’s Proposed GHG Rules – AASHTO Journal

As Electric Vehicles Shrink Gas Tax Revenue, More States May Tax Mileage – Route Fifty

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

California Strengthens Alliances for Transportation Electrification – Transport Topics

What a rebuilt southwest Florida might look like – AXIOS

Nearly a decade since Superstorm Sandy, New York City’s resilience projects are ‘plodding’ – American City and County

Mississippi River Reopens to Barge Traffic After Low Water Closures – Reuters

Self-Driving Cars Do Not Exist, Yet Drivers Still Think They Have One: Study – The Drive

California sends $300 million to help begin the planning process to move train tracks off Del Mar Bluffs – KGTV-TV

FWC creates hotline to address thousands of vessels displaced by Hurricane Ian – Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (media release)

HDOT testing asphalt mixes designed to improve pavement and the environment – Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (media release)

AIR QUALITY

Sony, Honda aim to deliver premium EV with subscription fees in 2026 – Reuters

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Six State DOTs Sign ‘Equity in Infrastructure’ Pledge – AASHTO Journal

Former Maryland Transit Exec Paul Comfort Authors New Book, ‘Conversations on Equity and Inclusion in Public Transportation’ – Cecil Whig

Most Maryland state agencies earn D’s and F’s on new environmental justice scorecard – The Hill

25 Native Tribes and Alaskan Villages Receive Nearly $9 Million From the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Transit – FTA (media release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

KYTC Helps Establish State-Focused Archaeological Website – AASHTO Journal

University Ecologists Studying Idaho’s Roadside Vegetation – AASHTO Journal

CULTURAL RESOURCES

New exhibit in Grand Central Terminal tells NYC’s history through urban planning – Gothamist

“There’s a bit of a cultural issue”: Pete Buttigieg gets real about the EV revolution – Vox

Cincinnati traffic boxes turned into pieces of art with hopes to deter graffiti – WXIX-TV

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Denver’s E-Bike Rebates Are So Hot They’re Gone Within Minutes – CItyLab

Glasgow installs automatic cyclist warning signs – Highway News

Safer streets targeted through Rochester’s bicycle plan update – Post Bulletin

Why are rural roads so much more deadly? New report explores – Family Safety & Health

The e-bike boom is getting increasingly dangerous, creating a push for stricter cycling rules – Fortune

These kids ride a ‘bike bus’ to school. Residents line the streets and cheer. – Washington Post

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Racial Equity, Black America, and Public Transportation, Volume 1: A Review of Economic, Health, and Social Impacts – TCHRP

E-Scooter Safety: Issues and Solutions – TRB

Research on Pavements and Other Transportation Materials Key to Sustainability – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Announcement of Fiscal Year 2022 Low or No Emission Program and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program and Project Selections; Correction – FTA (Notice; correction)

Enhancing the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users at Intersections; Request for Information; Extension of Comment Period – USDOT (Notice)

Air Plan Approval; California; Innovative Clean Transit Regulation – EPA (Proposed rule)

Federal Implementation Plans Under the Clean Air Act for Indian Reservations in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington – EPA (Proposed rule)

Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment on Proposed Land Use Changes of Surplus Property at Everett-Stewart Regional Airport, Union City, Tennessee – FAA (Request for public comments)

Establishment of Lost Trail Conservation Area, Montana – Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice)

Notice of Availability of Draft Study; Extension of Comment Period – Coast Guard (Notice)

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee; November 2022 Meeting – Coast Guard (Notice)

National Advisory Council; Meeting – FEMA (Notice)

Meeting of the Regional Resource Stewardship Council and the Regional Energy Resource Council – TVA (Notice)

Public Meeting of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee – Department of Interior (Notice of public meeting)

Notice of Proposed Withdrawal and Public Meeting, Thompson Divide Area, Colorado – Bureau of Land Management (Notice)

Kansas DOT Wins Two Environmental Awards

The Kansas Department of Transportation recently received two awards for its stormwater management policies from the Water Environment Federation or WEF.

[Above photo by the Kansas DOT]

The agency received a bronze model for innovation and a silver medal for program management as part of WEF’s National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Award contest.

“The quality of stormwater runoff is important to the health of our rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands,” noted Dale Kirmer, a staff engineer with Kansas DOT, in a statement.

“Rainwater can pick up many different pollutants when it hits the ground and has no treatment facility,” he added. “It drains into our waterways through pipes and ditches. The pollutants can cause turbidity (i.e. cloudy water) and overgrowth of algae as well as harm aquatic organisms and the ecosystem.”

The Kansas DOT manages compliance within six areas of municipal separate storm sewer systems, also known as MS4, on state-owned right-of-ways statewide. As a result, the agency has developed an MS4 compliance strategy that promotes stormwater quality, optimizes processes, and looks for new opportunities to minimize impacts to stormwater runoff.

The agency’s stormwater management plan includes several interconnected compliance elements, such as promoting an Adopt-a-Highway litter removal program; creating comprehensive construction site runoff requirements for all Kansas DOT projects; and focusing on post-construction stormwater management, specific to the highway environment.

In the future, the agency plans to keep identifying opportunities to improve its documentation processes, among other items. The goal is not to only check a box, Kansas DOT stressed; the goal is to improve the quality of stormwater runoff from the state’s transportation systems.

Other state departments of transportation across the country are engaged in water-management efforts that mirror Kansas DOT’s stormwater control philosophies in many ways.

For example, as part of its “Let’s Change This to That” public education campaign, the California Department of Transportation began highlighting the top six sources of stormwater pollution across the state in May as well as ways to prevent them from contaminating California’s waterways.

Meanwhile, in August, the hydraulics unit of the North Carolina Department of Transportation won a 2022 Pelican Award from the North Carolina Coastal Federation for its efforts to both protect and improve coastal water quality. The Pelican Award honors volunteers, businesses, agencies, and organizations that go “above and beyond” to ensure a healthy North Carolina coast for future generations.

The Federation commended the NCDOT team – one of three winners of Pelican wards this year – for its dedicated advancement of nature-based resilience initiatives, such as its work on the living shoreline project along N.C. 24. That project is part of NCDOT’s effort to make more than 500 miles of coastal roads resilient to storms using nature-based solutions.

In May 2021, the Maryland Department of Transportation unveiled three “smart ponds” built via a public-private partnership or P3 stormwater control project that seeks to reduce pollutants and curb local flooding.

The agency said this “smart pond” project is the first of its kind involving a state transportation department and it involved the Maryland Department of Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Walmart, and The Nature Conservancy. Overall, the Maryland DOT said it owns about 800 ponds that could benefit from this smart pond technology.

Kentucky Updates Pedestrian/Bicycle Travel Policy

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently issued a new version of its “Complete Streets” roads and highways manual; a revision that represents the first update in more than 20 years to Kentucky’s pedestrian and bicycle travel policy.

[Above image via the KYTC]

“Highway safety has been one of my top priorities,” noted Governor Andy Beshear (D) in a statement.

“And that means safety for everyone who uses our transportation system – motorists, motorcyclists, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” he added. “This provides valuable guidance to equip transportation industry partners across all levels to consider multi-modal systems when planning to support equity and accessibility in communities.”

KYTC pointed out that a “complete street” is one “safe and accommodating” for all users – be they motorists, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Its design can vary according to land use, corridor characteristics, and types of travelers using it. As a concept, “complete streets” can also be adapted for all types of communities – urban, suburban, small town, and rural areas.

Implementation may include a dedicated space for pedestrians and cyclists, such as bike lanes, wide paved shoulders, sidewalks, crosswalks, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, roadway reconfigurations, and roundabouts, the agency noted.

“Historically, streets, roads, and highways were designed around cars and trucks,” explained KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Today, our transportation planners and designers approach their tasks holistically, taking the needs of all users into account and building accordingly. There’s no one-size fits all recommendation as roadway features must be tailored to fit the community context.”

To elevate the state’s safety and equity priority, Gray also signed an official order outlining KYTC’s policy to meet the needs of all users and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act when planning, building, rehabilitating, and maintaining all state-maintained streets and roads. The users include motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit, and freight, benefitting people of all ages and abilities, the agency said.

Environmental News Highlights – October 12, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

State DOTs Joining White House Infrastructure Summit – AASHTO Journal

US House Lawmakers Introduce EV Tech Bill – Transport Topics

$39 Million In Marine Highway Grants Awarded – Waterways Journal

Biden-Harris Administration Launches New Program to Help Communities Seek Infrastructure Projects – USDOT (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Historic homes may prove to be more resilient against floods – Washington Post

Cities push back against Legislature’s environmental policy preemptions – Florida Politics

California Finds Truck Parking Shortage Complicated by EV Mandates – Transport Topics

Barge Groundings Create Headaches on the Lower Mississippi – Maritime Executive

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2 Billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Finance Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure – USDOE (media release)

FAA, Universities Pursue Critical Research to Achieve U.S. Aviation Climate Goals – FAA (media release)

AIR QUALITY

Feds Open More Funding for Diesel School Bus Phase-out – Route Fifty

Vermont’s new ‘Replace Your Ride’ funds cleaner transportation options – Vermont Business Magazine

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Six State DOTs Sign ‘Equity in Infrastructure’ Pledge – AASHTO Journal

As EVs Become More Mainstream in NC, Equal Access is Critical – Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (blog)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Forest Service reactivates planning for West Yellowstone-area timber project – Bozeman Daily Chronicle

The Dreadful Toll of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions – and What We Can Do About It – Governing (commentary)

EPA Highlights Boston Harbor as a National Success Story to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act – EPA (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Tribes ask US Supreme Court to hear case over destruction of sacred site near Mount Hood – Oregon Capital Chronicle

Restored rock road sign in Halifax County dates back to era of George Washington – Gazette-Virginian

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Connecticut DOT Awards Grant for Pedestrian Study – AASHTO Journal

California Governor Signs Bill Decriminalizing Jaywalking – Fox News

KDOT grants almost $30 million for “transportation alternative” projects – KSNW-TV

Proposed bicycle-pedestrian bridge over Potomac receives $20 million in federal funding – ARLnow

In Times of Crisis, Bikeshare Rolls On – Bloomberg CityLab

St. Louis mayor proposes $40M to make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists – KSDK-TV

Caltrans Identifies Locations to Increase Safe Walking and Bicycling Options for Communities Statewide – California DOT (media release)

USDOT Marks the Start of National Pedestrian Safety Month, Stresses the Need to Protect Vulnerable Road Users – USDOT (media release

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Preparing the Next Generation of Airport Industry Professionals – TRB (webinar)

Historic Damage in Wake of Hurricane Ian – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Should Coastal Communities Rebuild or Retreat After Hurricane Ian? – Columbia University

Demand-driven design of bicycle infrastructure networks for improved urban bikeability – Nature Computational Science

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Environmental Justice Scorecard Feedback – Council on Environmental Quality (Notice of extension for request for information)

Air Plan Approval; Louisiana; Repeal of Excess Emissions Related Provisions – EPA (Final rule)

Local Government Advisory Committee and Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee: Request for Nominations – EPA (Notice of request for nominations)

Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and CASAC Ozone Review Panel – EPA (Notice)

Request for Information: Better Indoor Air Quality Management To Help Reduce COVID–19 and Other Disease Transmission in Buildings: Technical Assistance Needs and Priorities To Improve Public Health – EPA (Request for information through public comment)

Good Neighbor Environmental Board – EPA (Notice of meeting)

Proposed Policy on Enabling the Use of Unleaded Aviation Gasoline in Piston Engine Aircraft and Aircraft Engines Through the Fleet Authorization Process – FAA (Notice of availability; request for comments)

National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council – Forest Service (Solicitation for members)

FHWA Helps Initiate $1B Fish Passage Program

The Federal Highway Administration, along with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, recently made $1 billion in grants available over the next five years via a new “fish passage” program established by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA enacted in November 2021.

[Above photo by the WSDOT]

Formally entitled the “National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration-Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage” program, it seeks to help communities remove and repair culverts found under roads that can prevent fish passage. FHWA said the program’s aim is to help state, local, and tribal governments protect local economies that count on healthy fisheries while also making key roads less prone to flooding.

“Many tribal and underserved coastal communities depend on thriving fish populations for their livelihoods, and this program, which will remove, replace, and repair harmful culverts, will improve the natural environment and the economic wellbeing of Tribal, coastal, and low-lying communities,” said Stephanie Pollack, FHWA’s acting administrator, in a statement.

“[These] grants will both help restore fish populations and make roads more durable and resilient to climate events, creating cascading benefits for communities that rely on the fisheries economy,” she added.

The agency explained that barriers to freshwater migration are a major cause of declining populations of anadromous fish, which live primarily in the ocean, but return to freshwater streams to spawn. This fish passage program seeks to help remove or redesign culverts and “weirs” that create such barriers, allowing anadromous fish populations – including salmon, sturgeon, lamprey, shad, and river herring – to access freshwater habitats for spawning.

FHWA noted that a “weir” allows for the controlled passage of water over a low-headed dam, while a culvert allows for the subterranean passage of water through a channel underneath an obstacle, such as a road.

Tribes, state, and local governments can apply for a portion of the $196 million of fiscal year 2022 funding currently available through this new program via a notice of funding opportunity issued by FHWA on October 6.

Across the country, state departments of transportation regularly provide support to a wide variety of efforts aimed at protecting numerous wildlife species and their habitats – such as birds, pollinating insects, bats, cactus, and of course fish.

For example, the Arizona Department of Transportation recently illustrated in an April blog post how ‘biomonitor’ teams from Northern Arizona University or NAU help the agency’s crews find and relocate endangered species – including snakes, birds, and fish – from construction sites.

Specifically, those biomonitor teams train construction workers and others involved in transportation projects to identify any endangered species and what to do if they come across one. The teams also monitor construction activity and help safely remove any endangered species out of harm’s way.

In terms of fish protection, the Washington State Department of Transportation went so far as to build an “engineered creek” to provide a better and safer avenue to spawning areas.

The engineered creek includes native vegetation, strategic bends, and elevation changes designed to support “every life cycle of fish,” WSDOT explained. It features places for fish to lay eggs and hide from predators, allowing the salmon to “naturally move” from freshwater to saltwater habitats and back again.

FEDERAL ACTION

COVID-19

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

AIR QUALITY

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

NATURAL RESOURCES

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

FEDERAL ACTION

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

AIR QUALITY

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

NATURAL RESOURCES

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

FEDERAL ACTION

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

AIR QUALITY

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

NATURAL RESOURCES

CULTURAL RESOURCES

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES