Context Sensitive Solutions for Infrastructure Projects

Context sensitive solutions (CSS) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders in providing a transportation facility that fits its setting. It is an approach that leads to preserving and enhancing scenic, aesthetic, historic, community, and environmental resources, while improving or maintaining safety, mobility, and infrastructure conditions. The concept of context sensitive solutions (CSS) has been evolving in the transportation industry since the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 required transportation agencies to consider the possible adverse effects of transportation projects on the environment. This paper presents a recently completed project which benefited from implementing CSS principles and applying them to transportation processes, outcomes, and decision-making; including fostering a shared stakeholder vision to provide a basis for decisions; demonstration of a comprehensive understanding of contexts; foster continuing communication and collaboration to achieve consensus; and exercise of flexibility and creativity to shape effective transportation solutions, while preserving and enhancing community and natural environments.