Elements of green highway assessment: Social and safety

Abstract

A green highway is fundamental for the infrastructure to be environmentally responsible and sustainable in all aspects. The need for promoting sustainability and green highway construction requires an assessment system. The Green Highway Assessment provides a management and technical approach for highway life-cycle from construction to its maintenance processes. It should also cover the relationship between environment and social responsibility with highway development. Nevertheless, safety and social element of highway development are often not addressed in majority of green highway assessments. The aim of this study is to identify and choose which social and safety elements are to be included in green highway criteria and therefore utilised in Malaysian Green Highway Index and its assessment. Data was obtained through comprehensive literature reviews, expert interviews and distribution of questionnaires. Respondents included experts and stakeholders from highway development field. The Average Index Value analysis was also utilised for the result of the questionnaire. The study resulted in 7 main criteria and 12 sub-criteria that were accepted to be used for green highway index assessment. The full list of main criteria and sub-criteria will be explained further in the text.