Examining the Land Use and Land Cover Impacts of Highway Capacity Expansions in California Using Remote Sensing Technology
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Transportation Research Record
DOI
10.1177/03611981241262299
Abstract
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 the 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 highway expansion project 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 a 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 with 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.
Funding Number
08720115-SJAUX
Keywords
environmental impact, highway capacity and quality of service, land use planning, planning/environmental linkages, remote sensing, sustainability and resilience, transportation and sustainability
Department
Urban and Regional Planning
Recommended Citation
Serena Alexander, Bo Yang, and Owen Hussey. "Examining the Land Use and Land Cover Impacts of Highway Capacity Expansions in California Using Remote Sensing Technology" Transportation Research Record (2024). https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981241262299
