United States Department of Transportation
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Examining the Externalities of Highway Capacity Expansions in California: An Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Using Remote Sensing Technology
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2023-11-01
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[PDF-11.49 MB]
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Corporate Contributors:State of California SB1 2017/2018, Trustees of the California State University Sponsored Programs Administration ; United States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program ; United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
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Abstract:Highway capacity expansion has typically been proposed as a tool to alleviate traffic congestion and to mitigate harmful emissions; however, highway capacity expansion has wide impacts on land use and land cover (LULC). Cost-benefit analyses and environmental review processes for roadway capacity expansion and maintenance decisions do not comprehensively consider LULC impacts. This study examined land cover changes directly associated with highway expansion in California and the relationship between land use and the vegetation impacts of highway projects using satellite remote sensing data. The methodology involves a geospatial analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data in 18 sites across California before and after the highway expansion projects’ completion. We accounted for seasonality and included a set of control sites. Findings indicate that the impacts of highway expansion on changes in NDVI are diverse, stressing the importance of the environmental context around each individual project site. Sites that are located near less-developed areas with more extensive natural vegetation (e.g., sprawled areas or exurbs) show significant decline in NDVI values. Virtually all sites with insignificant changes in NDVI after highway expansion are located in areas that already exhibit heavy urban development (e.g., Los Angeles, San José) or are otherwise located near large expanses of bare, non-vegetated earth. Also, project sites that experienced multiple types of construction (i.e., adding more lanes, widening sections, bridge renovation, etc.) were more likely to exhibit decreasing NDVI values compared to project sites that only experienced one type of construction. Decisions about highway construction and capacity expansion should consider the context and the full environmental impacts, including land use and land cover changes over time.
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