Environmental Issues, Impacts, and Mitigations of Roads
Gordon Keller, PE, GEGeotechnical [email protected]@gmail.com
A Well Built Minimum Impact Road
• Planning/Environmental Analysis• Location• Design• Construction• Maintenance• Road Closure or Obliteration
GOOD PLANNING +GOOD ENGINEERING
(with conscience)
=GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL
MITIGACION
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
What are the impacts from roads?
Positive Impacts• Improving quality of life• Better access to schools and clinics• Promoting development of areas• More rapid movement of goods and
services• Lower operating costs• Lower cost of food and products• Everybody wants a road
What are the impacts from roads?
Negative Impacts
• Degradation of water quality• Wildlife mortality and habitat fragmentation• Barriers to fish and AOP movement• Promoting movement of invasive species• Loss of terrain• Land use changes –forests to crops• Pressure on reserves and sensitive areas• Promotion of landslides and stream channel changes• Damage to coastal areas, mangroves, and swamps• High cost of maintenance and repairs• Use of resources• Deforestation and illegal logging/hunting• Pollution and trash• Traffic accidents
CURRENT ISSUES
Water quality degradation
Clean Water Dirty Water
Rolling Dips
• Culverts• Fords and LWX• Bridges
Drainage Crossing Structures
A Fish Barrier
Fish Passage
THE PROBLEM
Fish Baffles
Fish Ladder
http://www.stream.fs.fed.us/fishxing/aop_pdfs.html
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/11008/hif11008.pdf
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/11008/hif11008.pdf
Wildlife Mortality
How big of a problem is mortality, anyway?
• Vehicle-caused wildlife mortality estimated at ONE MILLION vertebrates each day in US
• Deer/vehicle collisions cost BILLIONS of dollars ANNUALLY
• Virtually all wildlife species affected• Hundreds of people killed annually
Huan Xi Township, China
V-Shape
Inverted U-Shape
Better!
Monkey “Overpass”
Lake Jackson-
turtle fence leading into a
culvert
•
Think in
theLong Term
Noxious Weeds/Invasive Species
Kosrae, Micronesia
Roads/Riparian Restoration Team
KNAPWEEDS
BLACK LOCUST
STAR THISTLEMUSK THISTLE PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
KUDZUTAMARIXLEAFY SPURGEAILANTHUSRUSSIAN
OLIVE
Roads/Riparian Restoration Team
Costos Anuales en Billones de Dolares
$1 Diseases
$1 Mollusks
$37Mammals
$25Microbes
$57 Insects
$34 Plants
$1 Fish $138 Billon por Ano!!
Roads/Riparian Restoration Team
Roads/Riparian Restoration Team
Referencias
2002David Pimentel, Lori Lach, Rodolfo Zuniga, and Doug Morrison.Chapter 16Environmental and Economic Costs Associated with Non-Indigenous Species in the United States
COLONIALIZATION ANDLAND USE CHANGE
LANDSLIDES
COASTAL IMPACTS ON MANGROVES AND REEFS
DEFORESTATION AND ILLEGAL LOGGING
POLLUTION AND TRASH
DUST
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ACCIDENTS
Road Safety Audits
POOR OR MISSING SIGNS
IMPROVING SIGHT DISTANCE
