Is developing a transportation sustainability program and establishing project level best practices (criteria) cost effective?

This question is one of the reasons why sustainability programs have not been well adopted and endorsed by many transportation management, engineering and maintenance representatives at the federal, state and local level and transportation lending institutions. Sustainability-cost effectiveness is an area that has not been well articulated to upper management and key decision makers.
The bottom-line is that many of the transportation decision makers do not care or see the value of sustainable elements, such as environmental habitat enhancement, unless there is a cost savings or perceived value. It is a challenge to put a cost toward increasing lynx mobility via sub-grade animal crossings or avoidance of species habitat. Read More

Transportation has major economic, environmental and social implications in its ability to provide for the public mobility, movement of goods and services and connectivity in our society. It is clear that many transportation practices are financially and environmentally unsustainable. Transportation is a major source of green house gas emissions that is associated with climate change, next to buildings and electrical power generation. Vehicle miles traveled is increasing three times faster than our population rate. Transportation projects are being planned, designed and constructed without looking at the full life cycle costs and manpower resources.  Read More