Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions we are asked.

What is Greenroads Foundation?

Established in 2010, Greenroads Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which advances sustainability education and initiatives for transportation infrastructure. As the developer of the Greenroads Rating System, the foundation manages the review and certification process for sustainable roadway and bridge construction projects in the U.S. and internationally. Comprised of a group of the industry’s leading experts in this field, Greenroads provides customized training and educational services. And as a membership organization, Greenroads connects individuals and corporations enthusiastic about sustainability through its network. You can read more about Greenroads Foundation here.

Who should become a member of Greenroads Foundation?

Owner agencies of all types — in the United States and internationally — as well as consultants, contractors, planners, private developers and transportation-related non-profit organizations.

What are the benefits of becoming a member?

Greenroads membership means having a resource center at your fingertips. Specifically, members benefit by:

• Receiving discounts on project certifications
• Gaining access to the industry’s leading experts and thought leaders
• Belonging to a collaborative community of like-minded and forward-thinking professionals, with opportunities to learn from, and share information with, individuals and companies who are incorporating new systems and technologies into their projects
• Achieving a competitive advantage by keeping up on the latest trends and resources available

What is the Greenroads Rating System?

The Greenroads Rating System is the only third-party, points-based system available to certify sustainable roadway and transportation infrastructure projects. The system provides metrics to measure the effect of design and construction practices which can be implemented on a project to earn points toward one of four awards, called "Ratings."

How does the Rating System work?

The Greenroads Rating System is a collection of sustainable roadway design and construction best practices that encompass water, environment, access, community impact, construction practices and materials. Each practice is assigned a point value according to its contribution to roadway sustainability. At a minimum, there are 11 "Project Requirements” that must be completed in order for a roadway to be considered a Greenroad. There are also 37 "Voluntary Credits" that a project team can choose to pursue. Greenroads assigns a project score based on the number of points amassed by meeting the requirements and achieving credits. This score translates to one of four certification levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Evergreen.

Which types of projects can utilize the Greenroads Rating System?

It is applicable to all types and sizes of roadway projects, including new, rehabilitation, reconstruction, preservation, overlay and bridge projects.

Can you rate a big project in pieces?

Please refer to the “Types of Reviews” section of the Greenroads website here.

Can you rate a big project in design only?

Please refer to the “Rate My Project” section on the Greenroads website here.

How many projects have utilized the Greenroads Rating System to-date?

Over the past four years, more than 50 projects of various types, sizes and stages of design and construction have been used as case studies to test and refine the Greenroads Rating System. The first projects reviewed for certification are expected to be completed in 2011.

Case studies can be found here.

Who will benefit from using the Greenroads Rating System as a resource?

The Greenroads Rating System can be helpful to roadway owners, transportation planners,designers, contractors, developers, policy makers, materials suppliers and students.

How is it different from other transportation-related systems?

The Greenroads Rating System is the only third-party system for transportation infrastructure projects — all other programs are self-assessment tools. Plus, the process is far more detailed and transparent. Greenroads provides precise documentation of all requirements and achievements, as well as quantifiable sustainability benefits supported by rigorous empirical evidence.

Why should I use the Greenroads Rating System?

• Leading-Edge. Greenroads sets the standard for the industry with its Rating System that is carefully researched and continually updated.
• Easy. The Greenroads Rating System is a practical and user-friendly performance metric that spells out the different elements of sustainable roadways and provides you with a quantifiable means for assessment.
• Tested. Over 50 projects have been used as case studies to test and refine the Greenroads Rating System.
• Non-Biased. The Greenroads Rating System is the only third-party system for transportation infrastructure projects — all other programs are self-assessment tools. This means that a Greenroad is the highest level of sustainability.
• Community. Greenroads has an active community of members that shares best practices and lessons learned so you don’t have to re-create the wheel.
• Education. A certified Greenroad educates drivers and road users, and reinforces your commitment to sustainability.

Why was Greenroads Foundation formed?

Road design standards, construction methods and measurements have remained relatively stagnant for the last five decades and are out of date in the modern world. Fifty years ago, roads were designed mainly for cars, with the goal focused simply on getting from one place to the other. Road construction was driven by the belief that they should be built as cheap as possible, which often led to negative community impacts and environmental consequences.

Even if no new roads are built from this point forward, existing roads need to be fixed, and the system for designing and constructing transportation infrastructure needs to be updated. Just as buildings are being designed to be more resource-efficient, healthier and long-lasting, there are methods to design and build roadways to be sustainable, durable, and benefit the surrounding community and greater ecosystem. The Greenroads Rating System offers metrics to change practice in a sustainable way, and provides resources for effective ways to evaluate and incorporate the latest technologies and systems.

How are roads currently impacting the environment in a negative way?

Roads only cover one-percent of the U.S. but the ecological effects are widespread. Environmental problems include pollution, noise, advancement of sprawl and degradation of natural habitat. Roads create barriers to interaction in communities and divide ecosystems that need to be connected to survive. Here are some statistics:

• The amount of impervious roadways is equivalent to the size of the state of Ohio. The negative environmental effects of impervious surfaces are numerous: eliminate rainwater infiltration and groundwater recharge; lead to runoff and pollute rivers, lakes and estuaries; and raise air temperature, producing a “heat island” effect.
• One third of the country’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions are directly tied to the transportation sector.
• Conventional roads consume a lot of energy to build: a one mile long, one-lane road uses as much energy to build as 50 American households in one year.

What is a Greenroad?

A Greenroad provides environmental, economic and social benefits. It efficiently uses resources and renewable materials, helps reduce emissions, manages waste, enables multimodal transport, and is designed to be accessible by all.

Does a Greenroad cost more?

In terms of lifecycle costs, a Greenroad actually costs less because the materials, technologies and systems used make it more durable, so it requires less maintenance. There is a nominal certification fee that applies to any project based on contract price. This fee is 0.05% or less for projects that are $10 million and up.

How do we make roads green?

With existing knowledge, smarter design and available technologies, roads can be sustainable, connective and durable – starting today. Greenroads seeks to go beyond conventional practice and regulations to optimize various elements that contribute to roadway sustainability, including:

• Ecology and environment. Reduce stormwater runoff and pollutants by improving systems. Design roadways for multi-modal transportation and the incorporation of Electric Vehicle infrastructure. Reduce greenhouse gases emissions from idling by controlling traffic flow.
• Social equity and safety. Design and build roads with a focus on community health and access. Greenroads provides quantifiable ways to make roads more accessible, transit/pedestrian/bike friendly, integrated with the community and safer.
• Responsible use of limited resources. Existing roads are 100% recyclable. This means that recycled content can be used in both new construction and when rehabilitating existing roads.

What are the benefits of greening our roads?

A Greenroad provides many benefits including:

• Lower initial cost: It costs less to use recycled materials – and using resources more effectively results in less waste. Smarter designing and planning processes also reduce the need for additional infrastructure (i.e. installing a proper drainage system up front eliminates major problems in the future).
• Lower lifecycle costs: A Greenroad costs less to operate and maintain because the materials, technologies and systems used are designed to be more durable.
• Lower user cost: Fewer construction projects needed to fix roadway issues means reduced traffic impacts.
• Strengthens the local economy: Sustainable roadway construction supports green job initiatives and the use of locally-sourced materials.
• Higher property values: Commercial and residential properties surrounded by a smart and durable infrastructure benefit from higher property values.
• Healthy communities and people: Multi-modal corridors improve mobility, and increase health and vitality within a community (i.e. sidewalks increase community interaction and create healthy, walkable environments).
• Reduced environmental impact: A Greenroad reduces stormwater runoff, and protects and improves sensitive habitat.

Why does Greenroads allow anyone to access its manual for free?

The Greenroads Manual is available at no charge because it was funded by public dollars through University of Washington Civil and Environmental Engineering research. Furthermore, Greenroads believes that transparency is a key aspect of creating change within an evolving industry – whether this means sharing best practices or lessons learned. Not only does Greenroads share the resources developed in the manual free of charge, but interested parties are encouraged to provide feedback to improve the Rating System.

Who founded Greenroads Foundation?

Greenroads’ original performance metrics were developed by the University of Washington's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and CH2M HILL, an international consulting, design, design-build, operations and program management firm.

Who leads Greenroads Foundation?

Greenroads Foundation is led by Director Jeralee L. Anderson, P.E., LEED AP who also serves on the board. Additional members of the Board of Directors include:

• Steve Muench, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor, University of Washington; Co-Founder, Pavia Systems, Inc.
• Sam Seskin, Transportation Planning Director, CH2M HILL
• Crystal Donner, P.E., President and CEO, Perteet, Inc.
• Adam Hand, Ph.D., P.E., Corporate Director of Quality Management, Granite Construction Inc.

Can I use Greenroads as an information source? Can I use the Greenroads logo?

You are welcome to use Greenroads as an information source, but please properly reference the Greenroad Manual when doing so. Do not use the logo without Greenroads’ permission. Refer to the Trademark & Copyright Policy here.