Sustainable Infrastructure: Quantifying the Impact of Pavement Construction

Sustainable infrastructure often comes with the connotation that it uses future energy resources wisely during its performance. However, the construction phase of infrastructure sustainability should not be overlooked. Understanding the impacts of pavement type and pavement material selection can lead to more holistic decisions and preferences. The Illinois Tollway has embarked on their largest capital program in the history of the agency. Move Illinois, the tollway’s 15-year, $12.1B program, has been touted as the greenest capital program ever deployed since the tollway was established in 1958. To support their commitment to this claim, the tollway has developed life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools for each of five major components of pavement infrastructure construction: (1) pavements; (2) structures (bridges, noise walls, median barriers, etc.); (3) drainage; (4) landscaping; and (5) lighting.