Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and ASCE's Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI)

Purpose and Background

Low volume roads impacts on water quality, land use, wildlife, vegetation, and spread of invasive species are often significant. Fortunately, roads also have many very positive social and economic impacts in our societies. Thus it is important to understanding the many positive and negative impacts of roads, promote the positive impacts, and avoid or mitigate the negative impacts of roads to the maximum extent possible. This is particularly important today with increasing populations and demands for infrastructure, combined with the fickle effects of global climate change.
Minimizing the negative impacts of roads and maximizing their benefits requires good planning and Environmental Analysis to thoroughly study all aspects and impacts of a project; good engineering to ensure that the project functions as planned, satisfies user needs, lasts its design life, and is cost-effective; and incorporation of needed mitigation measures to minimize negative impacts to an acceptable level to society and the environment
This webinar addresses those issues. Most engineers are aware of the engineering needs and requirements of a project. However seeing that the roads are properly designed, built, and adequately maintained remains a challenge. Environmental Analysis and project planning are key to formulating a sound project, considering and evaluating viable alternatives, identifying problems or impacts and possible mitigations, and incorporating needed design elements, mitigations, and funds into a project. Then the project design and specific mitigations measures need to address many issues such as water quality protection, tree removal, land use changes, wildlife and fisheries impacts, dust and pollution, and spread of invasive species or noxious weeds along road corridors.

Primary Discussion Topics

• The importance of roads, yet their positive and negative impacts
• The usefulness of Environmental Analysis in project planning and development
• Key road design, construction, and maintenance issues important to the long-term effectiveness of roads
• Roads impacts and available mitigations for water quality protection, wildlife protection, fish/aquatic organism passage at culverts, noxious weeds, and other issues
• Available “state of the practice” references dealing with each of the main areas of road impacts

Learning Outcomes

• Identify the critical importance of project planning and Environmental Impact assessment, both to improve the function of the road as well as to minimize the damage a road project can cause
• Review what is important in project design for the proper and safe function of the road
• Recognize the important role that project planning and Environmental Analysis plays in project development
• Determine the considerations and mitigations available today for water quality protection, wildlife crossings, fish/aquatic organism passage at culverts, and control of noxious weeds
• Explore excellent references are available that address each of these issues

Webinar Benefits

• Understanding the importance of roads in our society, yet the many adverse impacts that roads create
• Understanding the important role that Environmental Analysis plays in project planning
• Understanding the complex nature of roads, environment, and society
• Appreciating the need for good engineering design in roads projects
• Awareness of the positive and negative benefits of roads
• Learning how to avoid or minimize the many negative impacts of roads
• Having a set of “tools” and key references useful to understand the “state of the practice” and mitigations available for roads issues

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

• County Engineers
• Civil engineers
• Road managers
• Maintenance personnel
• Field technicians
• Specialists (hydrologists, biologists, archaeologists, etc.) involved in the planning, design, maintenance, and management of low-volume roads

Webinar Outline

• Introduction to low-volume roads environmental issues
• The benefits of Environmental Analysis and its generic process
• Key road engineering design, construction, and maintenance factors
• Choosing the appropriate road design standard
• Roads, land use changes, and society
• Water quality protection measures
• Wildlife crossings and ways to prevent wildlife collisions
• Fish and aquatic organism passage at culverts
• Preventing spread of noxious weeds
• Tree felling needs
• Dust control
• Trash management, etc.

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