Some state departments of transportation (DOTs) and many Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have begun to estimate vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation systems. However, only a few have started to evaluate infrastructure-related energy consumption and GHG emissions, which can make significant contribution to the environmental footprint of the transportation system (see, for example, “Life-cycle Environmental Inventory of Passenger Transportation in the United States,” Mikhail V Chester, UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies, August 2008). Quantifying infrastructure energy and GHG emissions can be an important element of environmental analysis at the national, State and local levels. Many state climate action plans and MPO GHG reduction plans include infrastructure strategies such as HOV/HOT lanes, bus and rail transit, congestion reduction, and bicycle and pedestrian projects. Without understanding of the construction and maintenance impacts, planners cannot know whether these projects truly reduce lifecycle GHG emissions sufficiently to meet GHG reduction targets in state climate action plans or other GHG planning documents. In 2014, FHWA developed a relatively simple to support analysis of infrastructure-related GHG emissions at the planning and/or project-level: the Infrastructure Carbon Estimator (ICE). FHWA has been able to make modest improvements to the tool over time but more substantial updates are needed based on input from stakeholders/users of the tool. By pooling resources, agencies will be able to conduct more extensive studies across a greater range of conditions than could be done by a single agency with only its own funds. By collaborating, sharing information, and conducting impromptu surveys, agencies will benefit from each other's experiences and avoid the duplication of research efforts. The outcomes of these projects will help agencies get the maximum financial benefit out of their investments in materials, equipment, and technologies.

The project intends to make the following improvements to the ICE tool, based on stakeholder feedback: 1. Incorporate new research on infrastructure embodied energy and lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions 2. Add analysis of new/additional project types 3. Address GHG reductions from additional mitigation strategies 4. Tailor outputs to better address the energy and GHG emissions from transportation project alternatives and transportation plans 5. Make the interface more intuitive and easier to use

The following tasks are anticipated for the project: 1. Create oversight committee to serve as project advisors made of pooled fund partners 2. Develop a detailed work plan 3. Identify model interface improvements that usability for planning- and NEPA-level analysis 4. Incorporate new research on infrastructure lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, including lifecycle framework studies and models (e.g., Rutgers University GASACAP model.) 5. Add new project types, roadway elements, and mitigation strategies 6. Pilot test the tool, using project examples or plans from pooled fund States 7. Incorporate feedback from the pilot test into a final version of the tool 8. Update model documentation 9. Develop training materials and conduct webinar-based training

At least three partners, including FHWA, are needed to each contribute a minimum annual commitment of $10,000 per year for three years.