SUSTAINABLE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
What is Sustainability?
“Development that meets the needs of the present,
without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.” Our Common Future, UNWCED
Sustainability centers
on a balance of
society, economy
and environment for
future and present
development
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Sustainable Highway System
Developing the capacity to build highways
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Satisfies human transportation needs
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Safe transportation of goods and people
Manages resources wisely
o Sustainable Paving Practices
o Money spent
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Reduced environmental impact
o Reduce green house gas emission
o Effect on climate
❑ Sustainable highway system is this bigger picture in which economical,
environmental and social issues of highway balance together.
Developing Sustainable Highway System
System Planning
• Integrated Planning: Economic Development,
Environment and Social
Project Development
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Life-Cycle Cost Analyses
Historical, Archaeological, and Cultural Preservation
Reduce and Reuse Materials
Recycle Materials
Construction Waste Management
Reduced Energy and Emissions in Pavement Materials
Long-Life Pavement
Operations & Maintenance
• Pavement Management System
• Bridge Management System
• Maintenance Management System
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Issues in Sustainable Highway System
Economic Sustainability
Making sure we can continue to afford highway construction
▪ Life cycle cost analysis of alternatives
▪ Efficient construction and operations
o Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA)
Design, Construction, Maintenance,
Rehabilitation, Salvage
o Efficient Operations
Eliminating unnecessary activities
Quality control:
▪ Prevents expensive corrections
▪ Lower maintenance cost
▪ Reduce LCC
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Issues in Sustainable Highway System
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental impacts of highways construction
▪ Pollution
▪ Wildlife habitat disruption
▪ Preventing absorption of water
Climate Impacts
▪ Emission of gasses that contribute to green
house effect
▪ Vehicle emission
Resource Renewal
▪ Use of renewable resources
▪ Use regional materials
▪ Build with recyclable materials
Hwy 7, MTO
MTO Animal Detection
and Warning System
sign and flashing light
Highway 540 Deer Reflectors
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Issues in Sustainable Highway System
Social Equity
Safer Highway System
▪ Open graded friction course
▪ Noise reduction
More than two people are killed and 10 seriously injured
every day on Ontario's roads
▪ Wild life crossing reduces animal-vehicle collision
Access
▪ Open access to different modes of transportation
▪ Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
• Protecting historic, cultural landmarks and natural reserves
Sustainable Paving Practices
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavements
• Recycling asphalt for use in
new pavements
• As an aggregate in CMA
• As an fill material
Sustainability Benefits
• Reduces raw material usage
• Cuts of waste production
• Reduces cost
MTO has been a leader in
recycling since the 1970’s.
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Sustainable Paving Practices
Warm Mix Asphalt
• Asphalt produced at lower temperature:
155oC
❑ Foaming asphalt binder
❑ Additives to improve binding
123 oC
Sustainability Benefits
• Reduced fuel usage, hence lower project fuel cost
• Reduces harmful emissions
• Comfortable working environment
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Sustainable Paving Practices
Asphalt wearing surface
Perpetual Pavement
Intermediate layer
• Sustainable pavement life cycle
• Pavement designed so that it never
needs to replace completely
• Layered pavement construction
• MEPDG research
Base layer
Aggregate
base
Subgrade
Sustainability Benefits
• Longer design life
• Less construction and material
costs
• Lower material usage means more
environmentally sustainable
Perpetual pavement example on
Hwy 406 with Design life of 50 years10
Sustainability Rating System
MTO’s GreenPave Rating System
Category
Pavement Design
Technologies
Materials &
Resources
Energy & Atmosphere
Innovation & Design
Process
Goal
These include long life pavements, permeable
pavements, noise mitigating pavements.
To optimize the usage/reusage of recycled materials
and to minimize material transportation distances.
To minimize energy consumption and GHG emissions.
To recognize innovation and exemplary efforts made to
foster sustainable pavement designs.
Maximum Total:
Points
9
14
9
4
36
• Implement a Green Paver of the Year award
MTO Initiative for Sustainable Transportation System
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List of References
1. World Commission on Environment. Our common future.
Centre for Our Common Future, 1992.
2. Bryce, J. "Developing sustainable transportation
infrastructure." (2008).
3. Eisenman, Ana Athalia Plaut. "Sustainable streets and
highways: an analysis of green roads rating systems." (2012).
4. Ponniah, Joseph, Becca Lane, Pamela Marks, and Susanne
Chan. "Ontario’s Experience in the Construction of Perpetual
Pavement Trials." In 2009 Annual Conference and Exhibition
of the transportation Association of Canada. 2009.
5. Chan, Susanne, Becca Lane, Tom Kazmierowski, and Warren
Lee. "Pavement Preservation." Transportation Research
Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2235,
no. 1 (2011): 36-42.
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Thank you!
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