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Coming Up Next: ICOET 2009 in Minnesota!
Abstracts: Transportation Operations
Conservation Management of Historic Road Reserves in Australia
- Dr. Peter Spooner, Institute of Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia, Phone: 61-02-6051-9620.
Road reserves have a rich history of human impacts, and are important social, economic and ecological component of agricultural landscapes in Australia. Road verge, or roadside environments are gaining greater recognition for their role in nature conservation. In Australia, road reserves are areas of public land retained for the development of future roads. Many road reserves were originally surveyed at one-chain (20.12m) width, however many historic roads, such as early Traveling Stock Routes (TSRs), were surveyed at widths of up to 1 mile wide. As a result, roadsides often constitute a significant proportion of native vegetation remaining in many agriculture areas.
Many local government authorities have now completed an assessment of the conservation values of road reserves in their municipality. Each roadside has been surveyed using a rapid bio-assessment methodology, and given a conservation ranking (High, Medium or Low). These rankings are then used to determine appropriate management actions for each road category, as described in local roadside management plans. However as local governments authorities have few funds for conservation management of roadsides, resources are often directed towards the maintenance of the better high conservation roads.
Recent research has shown that in many cases, roadside conservation values are a direct legacy of 19th century land policies, and decisions by administrators and surveyors, whose imprint remains on the landscape today. Each road has a unique story to tell, and as such, many high conservation roads with important natural and heritage values could be considered as 'historic roads'. Understanding the development history of roads can provide an important tool to gain new awareness of their cultural and environmental values, and facilitate greater community investment in their ongoing management.
Goals, Pros, and Cons of a Massive Increase in Roadside Woody Vegetation
- Richard T.T. Forman, P.E., Professor of Landscape Ecology, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Phone: 617-495-1930.
- Robert I. McDonald, D.H. Smith Conservation Biology Research Fellow, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Phone: 617-495-1930.
An extensive area of frequently mowed open grassy roadsides is designed for highway safety, yet paradoxically, in many locations woody vegetation of various types may make safer highways, and additionally provide diverse valuable benefits for society. Therefore, our objective is to identify the goals of greatly increasing woody vegetation, consider the pros and cons, and identify the especially desirable and undesirable locations for it. Today, frequent costly roadside mowing favors many non-native species including invasives. Rare species also live on roadsides, including nearly a quarter of the U.S. federally listed threatened-and-endangered plant species with at least one roadside population. The prime goals of greatly increasing woody roadside vegetation are to: (1) increase wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and landscape connectivity; (2) increase highway safety and driver experience; and (3) decrease pollutant and peak-water-flow inputs to nearby water-bodies. The first goal has few disadvantages and also accomplishes diverse societal benefits. The second goal emerges from a modest decrease in vehicle speed in appropriate areas, plus the use of visually diverse types of roadside woody vegetation. An entrée into the travel-behavior and wildlife literature indicates that drivers drive more slowly on narrow than wide two-lane highways, and suggests that a sharp drop in wildlife/vehicle crashes appears between a posted speed limit of 90 and 70 km/hr (55 and 45 mph). The third goal enhances nearby streams, ponds, and other water bodies, mainly by significantly improving conditions in roadside ditches. Tall shrubs or natural forest/woodland are especially desirable vegetation types for >50% of the 35 situations common along road networks. Mowed grass is especially desirable on 17% of the situations, essentially the most risky driving locations. Meadow/low shrubs and small trees with herbaceous layer are intermediate in overall roadside value. We conclude that a massive increase in woody roadside vegetation offers numerous transportation, environmental, and societal benefits with minor disadvantages. Evaluation by a blue-ribbon panel of diverse experts and widespread pilot projects with research and monitoring are valuable next steps.
Prescribed Fire is Cool on Florida Highway
Though unprecedented in the sunshine state, plans for a prescribed fire on US319/SR61, Kate Ireland Parkway in north Florida sparked enthusiasm and excitement among roadside managers. The recently expanded high speed corridor passes for ten miles through the Red Hills Region, a rural landscape that is host to America’s largest remnant of the great longleaf pine forest. Prescribed fire is a necessary and popular landscape management tool used by generations of adjoining private land managers with responsibility for conserving this scenic, natural, and cultural resource. Using prescribed fire along this highway is safe and appropriate. It is authorized to maintain a commitment to visually and ecologically restore and reconnect the landscape that is bisected by the four lanes of pavement. Further, the high visibility of this location, provides a dramatic means to inform the public about the benefits of prescribed fire, and to demonstrate that motorists can travel safely in the presence of prescribed fire.
Years before the burn, landscape architects, landscape contractors, landscape ecologists, engineers, foresters, firefighters and friends initiated their collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation and Division of Forestry to prepare a landscape plan and management plan for the corridor. The plan complements the natural beauty and function of the adjoining plantations. Fortunately, Tall Timbers Research Station is only three miles from the parkway. At Tall Timbers, scientists study the ecology of fire and natural resource management. Without their expertise and leadership, the burn would not have been possible. Finally, after manually and mechanically managing fuels within the wide forested medians, and after planting fire adapted ground cover, understory, and canopy tree species, it was time for the first authorized prescribed burn on a Florida state highway. Weather permitting, the burn was scheduled in concert local news media, and with Florida’s annual Prescribed Fire Awareness Week.
On schedule, March 7, 2005, from the peach state line, south for one and a half miles, a perfectly executed prescribed burn ignited a new era in Florida roadside management.
- A traffic control plan similar to what is used during construction, proved safe and effective. Smoke was managed well, except in one instance for a short time near a drain. The Florida Highway Patrol acted quickly to redirect traffic to another lane. There were no accidents or injuries.
- Eighty percent or more of the targeted median area burned, significantly reducing fuel load and potential for wildfire.
- Ninety percent or more of the small hardwood sprouts were eliminated, leaving behind the vigorous longleaf pine saplings and clumps of wiregrass.
- Longleaf saplings were generally scorched back close to the apical meristem, potentially acting as a control on pathogens on the old needles.
- Cogongrass, Imperata cylindrical, and other invasive plant species known to be in the vicinity thrive after fire. The burn, however, increased their visibility, and provided easier access for treatment.
- Hundreds of motorists enjoyed a safe driving experience with a close up view of the prescribed burn. Over the following weeks and months thousands enjoyed resprouting foliage and blooming wildflowers.
Prescribed burning along the ten miles will continue in three phases, on a three year or shorter interval. In addition to being safe and cost effective, Florida’s roadside managers can now report that prescribed burning helps reduce the risk of wildfire, increases native species diversity, enriches habitat, and releases bountiful wildflowers. Though it may never become routine, where appropriate, and where resources and expertise are available, prescribed burning has proven to be safe and effective for roadside vegetation management.
Establishment Success of Native Versus Non-native Herbaceous Seed Mixes on a Revegetated Roadside in Central Texas
- Jeannine Tinsley, Research Associate, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin, Phone: (512) 292-4200.
- Mark T. Simmons, PhD, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX, Phone: 512-292-4200.
- Steve Windhager, PhD, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX, Phone: 512-292-4200.
Revegetation is an essential component of roadside and building site construction and improvement. In the southern United States non-native grass species are frequently included in revegetation seed mixes used by highway authorities. Non-native species are frequently selected for aggressive growth characteristics, however these same traits also render them potentially invasive, and subsequently hazardous to, adjacent plant communities. Although the use of pure native seed mixes have been rejected in the past due to perceived inferior establishment characteristics, there have been few comparative quantitative field studies that justify this belief. The establishment characteristics of three seed mixes: one containing non-native species and two with native grass and forb species only, were compared in a randomized-block design along a Texas roadside following spring and summer sowing. After 60 days following the spring sowing, the two native-only seed mixes demonstrated 180% and 560% higher seed densities than the recommended native/non-native mix. The summer sowing results were similar with seedling densities 180% and 330% greater than the standard non-native seeding. Although an aggressive colonizer from vegetative tissue such as stolons and rhizomes, the non-native Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) has a lower than expected establishment rate thought to be due to high water demand during the first weeks following sowing. Given the invasive characteristics of this common component of many recommended revegetation seed mixes, these results call into question the widespread recommended use of Bermudagrass for such projects. These data indicate that examination of suites of early- and late-succesional native species can provide a highly effective mix for revegetation projects. Furthermore, this reduces the potential for negative ecological consequences and provides added benefits associated with wholly native plant communities.
Developing Fauna-Friendly Transport Structures
- Christof Elmiger, Environmental Consultant, Kaden und Partner AG, Office for Ecology and Software Engineering, Frauenfeld, Switzerland, Phone: 41-52-721-18-44.
- Marguerite Trocmé, Senior Scientist, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Bern, Switzerland, Phone: 41-31-322-80-03.
The barrier effect of roads is now well documented and solutions such as fauna passages are readily implemented (Trocmé et al. 2002). Less well known is the mortality caused by specific engineering structures used along roads, such as drainage systems. This research focuses on censusing wildlife hazards caused by such structures and developing solutions. Structures such as drainage systems, kerbs, gullies, culverts, noise barriers, lighting, retaining walls, were all examined. Small fauna specialists and maintenance teams were interviewed to gather information on known impacts as well as solutions found. Wildlife hazards were identified. Drainage systems with gullies often provoke high mortality for amphibians and other small fauna. Other structures such as retaining walls increase fragmentation by creating complete barriers. Designs more permeable to wildlife need to be enhanced. Certain solutions such as escape ramps from drainage systems have been tested on a local scale.
After identifying the problematic structures an analysis of Swiss road standards was made underlining which ones needed to be completed or modified so as to limit the impact of transport structures on wildlife. Further studies will be necessary so as to develop standardised solutions taking into account wildlife, maintenance and safety issues.
Road Crossing Structures for Amphibians and Reptiles: Informing Design through Behavioral Analysis
- Hara Woltz, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, Charlottesville, VA, Phone: 434-295-0785.
- James Gibbs, Associate Professor of Conservation Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, Phone: 315-470-6764.
Seasonal movements are fundamental to the life cycles of many species of amphibians and reptiles. These patterns of migration can be compromised by the presence of roads. Roads negatively impact many amphibian and reptile populations in various ways, such as obstructing movement, fragmenting and degrading habitats and causing increased mortality through vehicular contact. Road crossing structures provide one possible way to mitigate the negative effects of roads and facilitate safe passage for these organisms. However, if crossing structures are to be effective, animals must be willing to use them. Through a series of behavioral choice experiments, we examined whether certain aspects of structural design might influence animal preferences for particular crossing structures. We tested four qualities of possible under-road crossing structures: aperture size, substrate material, length, and light availability. For these qualities, we evaluated the responses of individuals from four species: northern green frogs (Rana clamitans), leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), and snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), Results indicate that for particular organisms, specific variables did seem to influence patterns of choice. In the aperture treatment, the choices of painted turtles, snapping turtles, and leopard frogs indicate that pipe diameter exerts a significant influence on choice. The substrate treatment indicated that green frogs have a significant preference for soil and gravel over other materials. Overall, these results elucidate important considerations for the design of behaviorally palatable crossing structures.
Ecological Performance of Mitigation Wetlands in a Predominantly Agricultural Landscape
- Terry J. VanDeWalle, Senior Environmental Scientist, Natural Resources Consulting, Inc., Independence, IA, Phone: 319-334-3755.
- Kelly E. Poole, Program Coordinator, Iowa Water Center at Iowa State University, Ames, IA, Phone: 515-294-7467.
- Scott C. Marler, Water Resources Program Manager, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames, IA, Phone: 515-239-1510.
- Craig A. Chumbley, Environmental Scientist, Earth Tech, Inc., Waterloo, IA, Phone: 319-232-6531.
The success of wetland mitigation projects nationwide is typically assessed by comparing the total number of wetland mitigation acres attained to the total number of mitigation acres required by Section 404 permits. In the absence of performance measurements on mitigation wetlands, the success of compensatory mitigation in replacing the ecological values of impacted wetlands is increasingly questioned by wetland scientists. This study focuses on evaluating regulatory compliance and ecological performance of mitigation wetlands in Iowa. Regulatory compliance was determined by comparing delineated wetland areas to permitted losses and by evaluating completeness of permit conditions at 24 randomly selected Iowa Department of Transportation wetland mitigation sites. In a separate study, intensive biological inventories were used to evaluate ecological performance at 12 mitigation and three reference wetlands. Species richness and abundance data were collected on algae, protozoa, aquatic invertebrates, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals at each site. Species richness and diversity at mitigation sites and reference sites were compared to determine if mitigation wetlands are performing differently than reference wetlands in Iowa. The results are valuable for building and expanding the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively assess and manage the ecological performance of compensatory mitigation wetlands and improve the ecological effectiveness of wetland mitigation.
Effective Wetland Mitigation Site Management: Plant Establishment to Closeout
- Paul Wagner, Biology Branch Manager, Washington State DOT, Olympia, WA, Phone: 360-705-7406.
- Cyndie Prehmus, Biology Branch, Environmental Services Office, WS DOT, Olympia, WA, Phone: 360-570-6644.
- Bob Thomas, Biology Branch, Environmental Services Office, WS DOT, Olympia, WA, Phone: 360-705-7405.
Wetland mitigation projects in Washington State are developed using well-defined and documented guidance in the design, permitting and construction phases. Traditionally, there has been little guidance for post-construction management of these sites. Post-construction management has largely been left to the discretion of the permit holder. There were no methods in place to effectively determine when regulatory requirements were achieved, or a standard to certify that the site was considered complete. Over the last decade, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has developed standardized mechanisms and processes for site management, reporting, and closeout procedures. These include establishment of site management crews, predictable funding sources for management activities, monitoring and reporting methods, and inter-disciplinary adaptive management teams that develop strategies for short and long-term site management. Recently, WSDOT partnered with local U. S. Army Corps of Engineers staff to develop a process for closing out mitigation sites with fulfilled permit requirements. These process improvements provide predictability for our mitigation efforts and long-term budget requirements to support site management activities. They also increase our credibility with the resource agencies by demonstrating the effectiveness of our adaptive management. These overall improvements also benefit future mitigation project proposals. We intend to use our monitoring data to increase the scientific knowledge about mitigation site development and management practices, and to continue the process of fine-tuning ecologically meaningful performance measures for future mitigation projects.
Washington State DOT Bridge Maintenance and Inspection Guidance for Protected Terrestrial Species
- Marion Carey, Washington State DOT, Olympia, WA, Phone: 360-705-7404.
Protected wildlife species that utilize the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) bridges and structures may be susceptible to impacts from routine maintenance and inspection activities. In response to community-driven concerns related to the conservation of protected terrestrial species and due to the lack of existing guidance for bridge related activities, WSDOT expanded their Highway Maintenance Environmental Compliance Guidance for Protected Terrestrial Species to include guidance for bridges. Two documents were developed, one document specific to bridge inspection activities, and one specific to maintenance activities. The guidance is performance outcome based, and requires that inspection and maintenance activities avoid adverse impacts to nesting protected birds and other wildlife. The guidance has been implemented and is successfully being used by bridge inspection and maintenance staff.
Dark Beaches - FDOT's Continued Efforts to Implement Environmentally Sensitive Lighting Systems
- Ann Broadwell, District 4 Environmental Administrator, Florida DOT, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Phone: 954-777-4325.
Incorporating the Results of the Coastal Roadway Lighting Impacts on Nesting Marine Turtles and their hatchlings research study into FDOT Roadway Lighting Design Standards and Florida Statute.
Artificial lighting has two important effects on sea turtles: It reduces the attractiveness of the beach to nesting females, and thus decreases the number of turtles which place nests in a coastal region, and; it interferes with the hatchlings ability to orient normally from the nest to the ocean.
Both of these effects depend upon the overall intensity (energy content) and spectral composition (concentration of heat energy as a function of wavelength) of the light source(s). Habitat alterations associated with FDOT coastal highways contribute to many beach lighting problems. The existing Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Roadway Lighting Standards do not take into account the biological conditions of adjacent properties when developing roadway lighting systems.
This problem was identified in the FDOT 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan which was approved by Secretary of Transportation Ben Watts and the Florida Transportation Commission in March 1995. The 2020 Long Range Plan suggested that FDOT incorporate the findings of the ecosystem management task force into Department procedures, including such ideas as identifying critical sea turtle nesting habitat where alternative street lighting could be installed. In 1998, FDOT entered into a research study with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) that would address the impacts of coastal roadway lighting on adjacent sea turtle nesting beaches. Originally, the purpose of this study was to:
- Identify coastal roadway lighting problems,
- Determine how they can be corrected, and
- Use this information to develop new and improved lighting standards for roadway design engineers, coastal communities and utility companies.
It was expanded to include an embedded roadway lighting demonstration project as well as an evaluation of the safety and roadway user response to embedded roadway lighting that was conducted by the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida (UF). These findings were presented at the 2001 ICOET conference in Keystone, Colorado. A recommendation of the UF research study was the need for the development of an Engineering Manual for Designing Roadway Lighting Systems in Environmentally Sensitive Areas. The manual would not necessarily offer new lighting criteria, but would show the designer how to use alternative lighting products in the design of coastal roadway lighting systems. It was determined that this would be a valuable resource for Florida and for the nation (Ellis and Washburn, 2003). The manual would allow the implementation of specialized Coastal Roadway Lighting Standards that would meet the needs of the roadway and satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of this latest implementation of FDOT sponsored research to address coastal roadway lighting and its impacts on adjacent sea turtle nesting beaches. This recent project is a work in progress with anticipated completion date of September 2007.
Oregon Strategies for Transportation Compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- Chris Maguire, Terrestrial Biology Team Leader, ODOT Geo-Environmental, Salem, OR, USA, Phone: 503-986-3385.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), a federal law enforced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), has no provision for incidental (i.e., unintentional) take of migratory birds during transportation projects. Because more than 400 species of migratory birds live in Oregon and more than 300 of them nest in highway right-of-ways and on bridges, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is at risk of non-compliance with the MBTA as the agency carries out its mission ‘to provide a safe, efficient transportation system.’ Although the MBTA is one of the oldest laws in the nation to protect species and natural resources (enacted in 1918), state DOTs have not been provided with guidance at the federal level on how to resolve transportation conflicts with migratory birds when they arise. In the absence of take permits for unintentional harm to migratory birds, ODOT has implemented a multi-faceted migratory bird strategy that not only increases migratory bird protection during transportation projects, but also minimizes the risk of prosecution should an ODOT MBTA violation inadvertently occur.
Initially, ODOT developed a MBTA Highway Division Directive. The purpose of the Directive is to provide agency personnel involved in project delivery, construction, and maintenance with guidelines and strategies to ensure that appropriate and reasonable measures are taken to prevent injury to and death of migratory birds. The Directive emphasizes that all employees must practice due diligence to safeguard migratory birds while they carry out ODOT’s transportation mission. Subsequently, ODOT signed inter-governmental agreements with USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services (U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service). Wildlife Services is authorized by Congress to conduct animal control activities. When ODOT contracts with Wildlife Services for migratory bird management on projects, incidental take is covered under Wildlife Services’ take permits. Currently, ODOT is developing an Avian Protection Plan (APP), a voluntary agency-specific program of best management practices designed to protect and conserve migratory birds that is endorsed by USFWS. USFWS Enforcement has MBTA prosecutorial discretion, and an agency operating under an APP is allowed to fulfill its mission without the need for formal USFWS concurrence on every action that has potential to impact migratory birds. ODOT will implement its APP following development of an agency-wide bird mortality tracking system.
Canasawacta Creek Watershed Initiative
- Mary O’Reilly, New York State DOT Region 9, Binghamton, NY, Phone: 360-705-7406.
- Brandon Greco, New York State DOT, Albany, NY.
- Debra Nelson, New York State DOT, Albany, NY.
- David MacEwan, New York State DOT Region 9 Geographic Information Systems Coordinator, Binghamton, NY.
- George Long, New York State DOT Main Office Hydraulics, Albany, NY.
- John Rowen, New York State DOT Main Office Operations, Albany, NY.
The Canasawacta Creek Watershed Initiative grew out of a desire to address the root causes of flooding, bank erosion, bridge scour and property damage that was a recurrent problem for both the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the inhabitants of the creek valley. Rather than continue with the old paradigm of fixing the problem spots NYSDOT, working through Region 9 office in Binghamton and its Main Office in Albany, requested the help of environmental specialists within the department as well as from other state and county agencies to address the problem more holistically and permanently. The first public meeting was held in the Town of Plymouth, Chenango County, in March of 2006. Over forty people attended; half were townspeople. The rest represented various entities including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal Highway Administration and the Upper Susquehanna Coalition. An interagency technical team was formed and an initial evaluation of a four mile stretch of the creek was performed in early June, 2006. Despite devastating flooding that occurred at the end of June, an action plan was developed and presented at a second public meeting at the end of August, 2006. NYSDOT began work in the stream in September and October of 2006. Additional work is planned for the summer of 2007. Armed with the findings of the interagency technical team, the residents of the watershed have organized themselves into a watershed committee that is working through the town to implement the parts of the plan that address private property. The watershed committee has spearheaded a town newsletter to keep everyone informed, and there is a watershed blog available on the Internet. The watershed committee has received a $179,000 grant from the NYSDEC. The grant requires a 50% match in funds which can be met by agencies such as NYSDOT and NYSDEC working in the watershed, as long as the work is in conformance with the overall watershed plan.
There are several interesting aspects of the watershed approach used in the Canasawacta Creek Project. The watershed approach requires cross-jurisdictional communication and cooperation, although there are unresolved issues such as funding and liability. The social and organizational skills necessary for a successful project are as important as the scientific and engineering expertise. The methodology used to prioritize various sites for remediation is supported by classic risk assessment methodology. Finally, because of the extensive baseline data recorded by NYSDOT during the past several decades, the project offers the opportunity to evaluate the effects of the interventions undertaken in the watershed.
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