Impacts and Mitigation Strategies from Solar Array Systems within Colorado Department of Transportation's Highway Right of Way Areas

Highway right-of-way (ROW) areas are becoming recognized as potential alternative energy resources to many state departments of transportation (DOTs). In an era of limited state DOT budgets, ROW areas can be a source of income and cost savings to DOTs for alternative energy development, especially in the area of solar energy. State DOTs and private tollway authorities have been leasing ROW areas to energy providers to offset carbon footprint emissions or obtain financial resource through long-term lease agreements. Research was conducted to identify the potential risk-based impacts associated with the construction and operation of solar array systems within the Colorado Department of Transportation's highway right of ways that are associated with driver safety, environmental resources, and operation and maintenance activities. Literature searches, professional communications, and computer modeling of glare impacts were performed at study site areas. The main potential impacts were associated with increasing snow drifting and deposition, glare, stormwater management, potential vehicle collisions with solar array structures, noxious weed introduction, and altering mowing operations.