Challenge will advance the use of sustainable pavements and quantify environmental impacts
WASHINGTON - As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s ongoing work to address climate change, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced $7.1 million for 25 state departments of transportation involved in FHWA’s Climate Challenge. FHWA launched the Climate Challenge Initiative earlier this year to quantify the impacts of sustainable pavements and to demonstrate ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in highway projects using sustainable construction materials. The new funding is being announced as part of the Federal Buy Clean Initiative to promote the use of American-made, lower-carbon construction materials in Federal procurement and Federally-funded projects.
“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 U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Sustainable pavement may not sound glamorous, but it’s an example of the kind of creative and important work needed in this moment, and we’re proud to support innovative efforts in this field across the country."
The Climate Challenge Initiative is part of a department-wide effort announced during Earth Week 2022 to encourage transportation agencies and others to identify innovative ways to reduce transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge presents a unique opportunity to improve the sustainability of pavement structures and work towards net-zero emissions. It also supports the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) announced earlier this year that unlocks $6.4 billion in formula funding over five years for states and localities to develop carbon reduction strategies and to address the climate crisis.
“To achieve our goal of addressing climate change, we must encourage investment in more sustainable transportation, and the Climate Challenge Initiative is one way to do that," said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “Today the Climate Challenge Initiative will provide state transportation agencies with resources to inform pavement engineering decisions that support reduced environmental impacts in highway transportation projects. This is critical in the Nation’s all-of-the-above efforts to achieve our Net Zero emissions goals."
The Climate Challenge Initiative provides funding, training, and technical assistance to help state departments of transportation (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 greenhouse gas emissions. These standard practices can inform decisions for highway construction projects, pavement material, and design.
During this first cycle of the Climate Challenge Initiative, 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. More information is available at FHWA Climate Challenge - Quantifying Emissions of Sustainable Pavements.
Climate Challenge Participants and Project Description
State
Agency Name
Project Description
Funding Awarded
Alabama
Alabama DOT
Quantifying Emissions from the Production and Construction of Balanced Mix Design (BMD) Asphalt Mixtures with Recycled Materials, Warm Mix Asphalt, and Recycling Agents.
$312,000
Arizona
Arizona DOT
Exploring Arizona DOT pavement materials and performance using LCA, PCRs, and EPDs to quantify resource use, energy, emissions and inform design selection processes.
$280,000
California
Caltrans
Project 1: Provide Concrete, Asphalt, and/or Aggregate plants access to EPD Tool(s).
Project 2: Reduced Temperature Production and Chemical Warm Mix Asphalt.
Project 3: Exploring the Effects of High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Rejuvenated Asphalt on Pavement Performance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions using EPDs and Balanced Mix Design Principles.
$312,000
Colorado
Colorado DOT
Continued Implementation Activities Associated with HB 1303 - Buy Clean Colorado Act and Going Beyond Materials.
$312,000
Delaware
State of Delaware DOT
Quantifying Carbon Emissions in Pavement Construction, Maintenance, and Preservation.
$312,000
Hawaii
State of Hawaii DOT
Plastic Recycling Research Facility in Hawaii.
$312,000
Illinois
Illinois DOT
Field Demonstration of Dolomite Quarry By-products Used in Local Road Construction in Illinois.
$312,000
Indiana
Indiana DOT
EPD Benchmark Project for Indiana Pavement.
$312,000
Iowa
Iowa DOT
Use of EPDs and LCA to quantify emissions and associated impacts of material and design decisions to enhance sustainable pavement practices in Iowa.
$312,000
Louisiana
Louisiana DOT & Development
Sustainability through Development of Life Cycle Information Models for Pavements in Louisiana.
$312,000
Maryland
Maryland DOT
MD Port Administration
Project 1: Informed Emissions Reduction Strategies for Asphalt and Concrete Paving Projects.
Project 2: Geoenvironmental and LCA of Highway Infiltration Berms Constructed with Dredged Sediments.
$312,000
Minnesota
Minnesota DOT
Using LCA to Reduce Embodied Carbon in Pavement Infrastructure at Minnesota DOT.
$312,000
Mississippi
Mississippi DOT
Conducting LCA for Asphalt Pavements Constructed with Cold Mixes.
$312,000
Missouri
Missouri DOT
A Roadmap for Missouri: Assessing Needs an Implementation Framework for Incorporating EPDs.
$312,000
New Jersey
New Jersey DOT
Project 1: Utilization of EPDs and LCA to Promote Sustainability in New Jersey’s Pavements.
Project 2: Improve Sustainability of Asphalt Pavement Overlay in New Jersey.
$204,000
New York
New York State DOT
Potential Environmental Benefit of Performance Mixes.
$312,000
North Dakota
North Dakota DOT
NDDOT Sustainable Pavements Evaluation.
$240,000
Oklahoma
Oklahoma DOT
Evaluating the Broader Impacts of Balanced Mix Design (BMD) and Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) Specifications and Incentives in Oklahoma through a LCA Framework.
$283,448
Oregon
State of Oregon DOT
Project 1: Asphalt plant renewable propane proof of concept and LCA development.
Project 2: The impact of declining roadway conditions on road user costs and Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Project 3: LCA Program Implementation and support.
$312,000
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority
Project 1: Puerto Rico Sustainability Workshop Series; A Hands-on Workshop Series on LCAs and EPDs.
Project 2: Puerto Rico LCA and EPD Development Plan.
$120,000
Rhode Island
Rhode Island DOT
Resilient Resurfacing - A Permeable Pavement Pilot.
$312,000
Texas
Texas DOT
Developing Capacity for Whole-Life LCA.
$312,000
Virginia
Virginia DOT
Quantifying Greener Pavements in Virginia.
$312,000
West Virginia
West Virginia DOT; Division of Highways
Investigating Sustainable Asphalt Mix Design Solutions in West Virginia.
$79,671
Washington
Washington DOT
Using LCA to Reduce Embodied Carbon in Pavement Infrastructure at Washington DOT.
$312,000
Local Agency
City of Seattle
Reducing Embodied Carbon in City of Seattle Capital Projects.
Only Technical Assistance Provided
Local Agency
The Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey
Project 1: LCA Data Gaps and Refinement.
Project 2: Low Carbon Asphalt Support.
Project 3: Standard for Benchmarking against 2006.
Only Technical Assistance Provided
*DOT = Department of Transportation
*LCA = Life Cycle Assessment
*EPD = Environmental Product Declaration
*PCR = Product Category Rules
Total Amount Awarded: $7,135,119
