The Environmental Management of Highways
Institution of Highways and TransportationYorkshire & Humberside Branch Seminar
9 November 2001York
Ciaran McAleenan MPhil CEng MICE MICWEM MIOSH RSP
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Letter to Montcalm County resident
• The construction of wood debris dams is an unauthorised activity,
• This is a violation since the required permit was not requested,
• The dams failed during recently causing flooding,
• Dams of this nature are hazardous and are not permitted.
• This Department orders you to cease and desist such activities, and
• Make good any damage or elseenforcement action will be taken.
Department of Environment & QualityMontcalm County MI
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Resident’s response...
• A couple of beavers are constructing and maintaining two wood debris dams across the outlet stream from my pond.
• I did not pay for, authorise or supervise their DAM project and challenge your Department to emulate their DAM project anytime.
• No way you could match their DAM skills, their Dam resourcefulness, their DAM ingenuity, their DAM persistence, their DAM determination and their DAM work ethic.
• The dams failing is a natural occurrence that the Department is required to protect.
• So if you want the stream restored toa DAM free-flow condition contact the DAM builders yourself.
LandownerMontcalm County MI
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Analysethe
Operation
Improve
EffectivenessReview
Managethe
Operation
Set your work objectives to include;
“...tasks/ activities are to be completed on time and in a manner that does not cause environmental damage or harm”.
Operational Analysis & Control Model
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Analysethe
Operation
Operational Analysis & Control Model
Three questions
• What can cause environmental damage?
• What are you doing about it
• Is it enough?
Analysethe
Operation
Improve
EffectivenessReview
Managethe
Operation
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
VehicleDriving
Cause Effect Control
Air Quality
Ecology
Energy
Noise
Reduce emissionsEnhance public transportUse modified fueletc.
Creature features, e.g.• badger tunnels• warning signs
Low noise road surfacings
Noise barriers
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Operational Analysis & Control Model
Managethe
Operation
Another three questions
• What has to be done?
• What resources do you need?
• When is a review needed?
Analysethe
Operation
Improve
EffectivenessReview
Managethe
Operation
Delivering Effective Management Systems
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Operational Analysis & Control Model
EffectivenessReview
Three more questions
• Has the operation progressed as planned?
• Detail the changes needed.
• List the improvement actions.
Analysethe
Operation
Improve
EffectivenessReview
Managethe
Operation
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Maintenance
Design
EnvironmentalConstraints
Analysethe
Operation
Improve
EffectivenessReview
Managethe
Operation
In Practice...
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
Volume 10 Environmental Design - Good Roads Guide
• Largely reworked in recent update
Volume 11Environmental Assessment
• Going through modernisation project
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Requires EA for;
• Motorway construction
• Privately Financed Toll Roads
• Coastal protection Schemes
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
UK Planning Regulations
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
• All new roads over 10km
• New roads over 1km close to;
National Parks,
SSSI’s,
Conservation areas,
Nature Reserves, and
+1500 dwellings
• Motorway and road improvements
• Other new roads where significant
impact is expected
Additional industry EA Criteria
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Design objective
a. reduce the direct impact
b. give greater weight to local environment
c. reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants.
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Design aspectsNew Approach to Appraisal
a. Environmental Impactb. Safetyc. Economyd. Accessibilitye. Integration
To be replaced by Guidance on Methodology for Multi-modal studies
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Environmental Design
this means looking at...
a. Recycling and re-useb. Energy efficiencyc. Use of brown-field sitesd. Waste managemente. Surface life expectancy
EnvironmentalConstraints
Design
© Ciaran McAleenan, 2001
Delivering Effective Management Systems
Maintenance Concerns
a. Roadside vergesb. Roadside hedgesc. Roadside boundariesd. Weed controle. Trees and shrubsf. Flora and faunag. Pollutionh. Conservation Areasi. Bridgesj. Street lightingk. Re-cycling
MaintenanceEnvironmentalConstraints