Suggested Citation:
Shilling, Fraser M. and David P. Waetjen (2012) The Road Effect Zone GIS Model. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-12-16

Transportation planning and project development is moving toward a model of including environmental information and potential impacts earlier in regional, corridor, and project planning. Thus, the type and quality of this information and how well it meets the needs of transportation planners is critical.  Road/highway effects from the existence and use of infrastructure are pervasive throughout developed landscapes, but seldom measured, modeled, visualized, and/or used in planning and transportation decision-making. This means that the evaluation of potential transportation alternatives, potential impacts, and potential mitigation activities are not based on the actual distribution of effects from the transportation infrastructure.

This project was designed to investigate and geographically model the numerous effects roads have on the surrounding environment.  We isolated several of these effects and looked at them in greater detail, developing a model that represents the various interactions between a road and the surrounding region.  The model was designed to be a proof-of-concept of a stand-alone tool for environmental and transportation planners in local and state agencies.

Capturing the extent and intensity of transportation system impacts allows for the development and improvement of sustainable transportation systems. Planning that begins with a spatial expression of the types and intensities of current potential future system impacts is more likely to result in infrastructure with less impact and the perception that the transportation agency is acting as a steward of natural and human values. Transportation bills (ISTEA, SAFETEA-LU) have been migrating toward increased recognition of environmental values and early inclusion of environmental values and potential impacts in decision-making. This tool provides spatially-explicit expression of these potential impacts and can inform both early planning and project-scale measurement of mitigable impacts.