Environmental Impact & Sustainability in Transportation Flashcards

What is the primary function of a wildlife crossing (ecopassage) installed beneath a highway?

Answer: To reconnect fragmented habitat and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions

Wildlife crossings restore habitat connectivity fragmented by roads, enabling animal movement for foraging, breeding, and migration while reducing dangerous road crossings.

Under the Clean Water Act Section 404, which federal agency must issue a permit before filling wetlands for a highway project?

Answer: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers administers Section 404 permits, which regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States including wetlands.

What does a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program aim to reduce?

Answer: Single-occupancy vehicle trips through incentives for alternative travel modes

TDM programs use strategies like carpooling incentives, transit subsidies, and flexible work schedules to shift travelers from single-occupancy vehicles, reducing emissions and congestion.

Which pavement technology reduces tire-pavement noise and can decrease highway noise pollution for nearby residents?

Answer: Open-graded friction course (OGFC) or porous asphalt

OGFC and porous asphalt contain air voids that absorb tire noise energy, reducing traffic noise by 3-5 decibels compared to dense-graded conventional pavements.

What environmental concern is associated with in-situ stabilization of contaminated soils discovered during highway construction?

Answer: Potential for worker exposure to hazardous materials and spread of contamination

Disturbing contaminated soils during construction can expose workers to hazardous substances and spread contamination through air, water, or equipment tracking if not properly managed.

How does electrification of public transit fleets (e.g., electric buses) contribute to transportation sustainability goals?

Answer: It shifts emissions from tailpipes to power plants, reducing local air pollution and enabling grid decarbonization benefits

Electric buses produce zero direct emissions, improving local air quality, and as the electricity grid uses more renewables, lifecycle emissions decrease further over time.

What is the significance of a 'Section 4(f) resource' in transportation project planning?

Answer: A protected public park, wildlife refuge, or historic site that transportation projects cannot use unless no prudent alternative exists

Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act protects publicly owned parks, recreational lands, wildlife refuges, and historic sites from transportation project impacts unless there is no feasible and prudent alternative.