Abstract
The application of sustainable performance measures continues to increase with the development of sustainable rating systems such as leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED), as well as transportation-focused programs, such as Greenroads. Established transportation rating systems focus primarily on the design and construction of motorized facilities such as local roadways and highways. As a result, there is the opportunity to develop a rating system focused on shared-use paths that are for nonmotorized (pedestrian and cycling) mobility. The primary objective of this research is to develop a sustainable rating system for the design and construction of shared-use paths, called GreenPaths, in order to promote environmental, social, and economic benefits through the development process. Sustainable indicators (credits) for shared-use paths are developed and then weighted using the analytic hierarchy process. GreenPaths is then applied to a real-world shared-use path facility, the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail in Union County, Pennsylvania. The case study results indicate the applicability, relevance, and significance of the rating system toward measuring sustainable design and construction practices for shared-use facilities.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Katherine Mabis McKenna Summer Environmental Internship Program at Bucknell University for supporting this research.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 11 • November 2015
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 20, 2014
Accepted: Jun 9, 2015
Published online: Jul 21, 2015
Published in print: Nov 1, 2015
Discussion open until: Dec 21, 2015
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