Roads and parking lots in the United States cover more ground than the entire state of Georgia. And while proponents of sustainable transit often focus on getting people off the roads, they will remain at the heart of our transportation systems for the foreseeable future. In Creating Green Roadways, James and Matthew Sipes demonstrate that roads don't have to be the enemy of sustainability: they can be designed to minimally impact the environment while improving quality of life.
The authors examine traditional, utilitarian methods of transportation planning that have resulted in a host of negative impacts: from urban sprawl and congestion to loss of community identity and excess air and water pollution. They offer a better approach-one that blends form and function. Creating Green Roadways covers topics including transportation policy, the basics of green road design, including an examination of complete streets, public involvement, road ecology, and the economics of sustainable roads. Case studies from metropolitan, suburban, and rural transportation projects around the country, along with numerous photographs, illustrate what makes a project successful.
The need for this information has never been greater, as more than thirty percent of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition, more than a quarter of the nation's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and congestion in communities of all sizes has never been worse. Creating Green Roadways offers a practical strategy for rethinking how we design, plan, and maintain our transportation infrastructure.
"This welcome introduction to the topic of 'greening' roadways promotes humanizing and beautifying roads and streets while reducing their environmental impacts using collaborative, interdisciplinary methods. The text is elaborated with an extensive photo collection and case studies that demonstrate how to apply the principles proposed in the book."---Cynthia Girling, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia "The Sipes' insightful synopsis of current green roadways concepts, combined with an assemblage of inspiring photographs, compels us to work smarter. They remind us that transportation successes can occur in far-flung, sometimes improbable settings, and even in our own backyards."---Laura Lewis, US Forest Service, Tennessee "Creating Green Roadways provides a comprehensive overview of how roads can be designed to protect natural and cultural resources and exist harmoniously within their context. This is a must read for any planner: a clear map for improving our transportation infrastructure."---Mark S. Lindhult, FASLA, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Partner, The Berkshire Design Group "A valuable resource for transportation planners, engineers, landscape architects, and other professionals associated with the construction of innovative roadway construction, highway connectivity and infrastructure projects. Designers and engineers for both rural communities and metropolitan regions, greenways and other transportation corridors will benefit from the design techniques and case studies described in this powerful manifesto for new highway thinking."---Richard Shaw, principal, DesignWorkshop "In all Creating Green Roadways is an important collection of resources for creating more responsible infrastructure in both rural and urban settings. The numerous case studies outlined within, detail how the concepts discussed can and are being implemented with great success. The task of creating a more sustainable transportation future is still daunting and will require vast retrofits to existing infrastructure. Creating Green Roadways is a good resource for anyone involved or interested in the transportation industry looking to work towards more responsible infrastructure." "Analyzing many American roads throughout the country with black and white photography throughout, authors James & Matt
