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Sustainable Rest Area Design and Operation
Transportation Research Board
2011 Waste Management and Resource Efficiency Workshop
Portland, Oregon
July 26, 2011
Sustainable Rest AreasStudy Goals
• Conceptualize sustainable and renewable actions and features to rest areas
• Reduce rest area operation and maintenance costs.
• Actions that will be adopted by all CDOT Regions• Conserving finite natural resources• Evaluate carbon footprint and major sources• Improve the visitor experience in Colorado
Methodology• Selected six CDOT rest areas• Team members assigned rest areas• Literature search of sustainable actions• Developed field evaluation checklists
– Materials and Reuse/Recycling – Environment/Site Conditions – Air Quality – Water Quality/Usage – Energy – Public/Motorist/Trucking Outreach
• Created a rest area database • Performed rest area sustainability scoring• Data review and report development
Project Rest Areas
• Sterling Rest Area
– Visitor Center/Region 4/Plains
• Poudre Rest Area
– Adjacent to Visitor Center/Region 4/Plains
• Vail Pass Rest Area
– Recreational Rest Area/Region 3/Mountain Pass Area
• Hanging Lake Rest Area
– Recreational Rest Area/Region 3/Canyon Area
• El Moro Rest Area
– Basic Services/Region 2/Plains Area
• Cortez Rest Area
– Basic Services/Region 5/Desert
Vail Pass Rest Area
Hanging Lake Rest Area
Sterling Rest Area
El Moro Rest Area
Poudre Rest Area
Sleeping Ute Mountain Rest Area
Carbon Footprint
• Scope 1- Direct Emissions• Scope 2- Indirect Emissions• Scope 3- Other Indirect Emissions• Using GHG Protocol methodology• Carbon footprinting
– 6 project rest areas– Estimated for all CDOT rest areas combined
Carbon Footprint Results
• Sterling = 3,006 metric tons CO2e/year.
• Poudre = 2,517 metric tons CO2e /year
• El Moro = 2,281 metric tons CO2e/year
• Vail Pass = 886 metric tons CO2 e /year
• Hanging Lake = 143 metric tons CO2e /year
• Sleeping Ute Mountain = 73 metric tons CO2e/year
• Estimated rest area emission= 36,394 metric tons CO2e/year
18
Sustainable Scoring Elements Total Poudre Sterling Cortez
El Moro
Hanging Lake Vail
Total Materials and Reuse Score 13 3 6 5 5 1 1
Total Environment/Site Conditions 25 9 5 10 7 10 14
Total Air Quality 13 2 2 2 2 2 2Total Water Quality/Usage 21 5 7 3 3 3 5
Total Energy 30 7 6 9 11 10 6Total Public/Motorist/Truckingn Outreach 11 7 4 6 4 5 5
Innovation Score 4 0 0 0 0 0 4
Total Sustainable Scoring 117 33 30 35 32 31 37
Study Rest Area Sustainability Rating
Cost Effective Actions
• Water Conservation
– Conduct audits
– Track water usage
– Evaluate urinal/toilet flushing volumes
– Explore waterless urinals ($)
– Explore water harvesting ($)
– Reduce lawn irrigation (or eliminate)
– Modify landscaping
• Reduce lawn areas (reduces mowing)
• Native vegetation (reduces water)
• Increase number of trees (carbon and shading)
Cost Effective Actions
• Electricity
– Movement sensors for interior
– LED lighting
– Timers/sensors for parking area lights
– Over lighting versus security
– Energy Star Hand Dryers
– Evaluate if air condition really needed
• Natural ventilation/tree shading
– Alternative Energy Options
• Solar
• Heat Pumps
Cost Effective Actions
• Hot Water Heating– Determine if really needed– On demand heating– Solar hot water heating
• Solid Waste Management– Compaction ($)– Recycling program – Evaluate need for soda vending machines– Compost/mulch grass clippings
Other Sustainable Actions• Community Involvement
– Recycling– Volunteering/Holiday Coffee– Local Information Signage– Potential Partnerships
• Environmental – Buffer zones– Integrated Noxious Weed Management– Green Procurement Purchasing– Idling Restrictions for trucks
303-786-9111www.TerraLogicss.com
http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2011/restareas/view
Rest Area Sustainability/Alternative Energy in CDOT ROW
Vail Pass Rest AreaObservations/Recommendation
s• Rest room area built into hill; innovative design • No irrigation for landscaping; native vegetation
maintained• Use State of Colorado Procurement listing of “green-low
VOC” chemicals for cleaning, painting and adhesives• Develop stormwater/snow best management practices• Install light intensity detectors to reduce daytime lighting • Provide signage to the public to educate them on the
sustainable operation of the rest area and environmental sensitivity
Hanging Lake Rest AreaObservations/Recommendatio
ns• Water conservation studies (rest rooms, lawn irrigation) • Native vegetation as a buffer from Colorado River• Transition blue grass to a xeriscape landscaping• Eliminate the routine application of fertilizers and
herbicide• Provide waste recycling containers to public• Install stormwater/snow best management practices
Sterling Rest AreaObservations/Recommendations
• Perform water conservation study• Reduce landscape watering of buffalo grass• Use mulch mowers to reduce solid waste• Only rest area to offer recycling to public • Uses electric vehicle for maintenance activities• Reduce long term truck parking and idling from CDOT
rest areas; evaluate truck electrification• Evaluate use of waterless urinals to conserve water
Sleeping Ute Mountain Rest AreaObservations/Recommendations
• Reduce toilets/urinals flushing volumes• Plant additional vegetation in sparse areas• Landscape with native species or xeriscape • Eliminate the routine use of fertilizer and
herbicide on lawn• Motion detector in rest area to conserve
energy
El Moro Rest AreaObservations/Recommendations
• Place restrictions on idling times or provide electrification
• Transition from bluegrass to xeriscape landscaping
• Provide recycling containers• Reduce mowing of native plants east of
walking path• Evaluate waterless urinals and water
harvesting
Poudre Rest Area Observations/Recommendations
• Provide recycling containers• Place restrictions on idling times or provide
electrical hookups• Reduce water amounts in toilets/urinals• Open fencing promotes wildlife mobility• Landscape with native vegetation or xeriscape• Evaluate alternative energy options
