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Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives (EHEI)


2011 Award Recipients

Congratulations to all of the State DOTs and division offices whose efforts are represented in this year's EHEI selections, and thank you to all who submitted proposals for this year. We encourage you to continue to promote EHEI projects.

Category State Project
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Washington
State Route 410 Nile Valley Landslide – Emergency Response, Reconstruction and Restoration
For initiating an innovative and effective multi-agency response to environmental, human, and infrastructure needs resulting from a natural disaster.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
New York
New York State Route 34 over Cayuga Inlet
For incorporating stream protection, environmental improvements, and recreational opportunities into bridge reconstruction efforts over a significant trout habitat.
Education and Training Programs
Washington
Washington Department of Transportation Cultural Resources Training
For offering a comprehensive training that promotes awareness, preservation, and stewardship of cultural resources.
Enhancing the Environment
for Human Activities
Oregon
Upper Perry Arch Bridge Rehabilitation Project
For restoring a historically significant structure that showcases the architectural design and technique of early twentieth-century engineers.
Pennsylvania
Preservation of Heritage and Improvement of Quality of Life for City of Lebanon
For encouraging active and continuous public participation and quality of life efforts to preserve a local community’s rich heritage.
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
Florida
The Flagler Memorial Bridge Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) Study Team
For promoting partnerships to support nonmotorized transportation options for Palm Beach County residents along an Intracoastal Waterway bridge.
New York
Replacement of a Pedestrian Bridge over Route 33
For strengthening community linkages and pedestrian opportunities through the replacement of a pedestrian bridge over the Kensington Expressway.
Process Improvements
New Mexico
Increasing Tribal Participation: Streamlining the Section 106 Tribal Consultation Process in New Mexico
For developing a streamlined consultation process to review transportation projects affecting tribal lands.
Oregon
Sellwood Bridge
For building public and agency consensus around improvements for a multi-modal, community-driven, and environmentally-sensitive infrastructure project.

2010 Award Recipients

Congratulations to all of the State DOTs and division offices whose efforts are represented in this year's EHEI selections, and thank you to all who submitted proposals for this year. We encourage you to continue to promote EHEI projects.

Category State Project
Education and Training Programs
Georgia
The Immortal 600 Teaching Package
For demonstrating how Federal-aid Highway projects can help preserve history.
California
WalkBikeMarin
For using a range of education and encouragement activities to promote walking and bicycling.
Enhancing the Environment
for Human Activities
Delaware
Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge
For improving access to and educational opportunities at an important natural resource.
Illinois
Goodwin Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements
For improving the safety and convenience of bicycling and walking facilities at a college campus.
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
California
San Jose Trail Network
For developing an effective nonmotorized transportation network.
Massachusetts
Health Transportation Compact
For integrating health considerations into transportation decisions.
Vermont
Way to Go! Commuter Challenge
For an innovative marketing and outreach campaign to promote transportation alternatives.
Process Improvements
Illinois
Project Notification System for Section 106 Tribal Consultation
For helping to improve opportunities for tribal participation in highway project development.
South Carolina
US Highway 17 Sweetgrass Corridor
For endeavoring to preserve an important cultural resource.
Product Development
Florida
Environmental Screening Tool
For developing a transportation decisionmaking tool that improves interagency coordination and public involvement.

2009 Award Recipients

Congratulations to all of the State DOTs and division offices whose efforts are represented in this year's EHEI selections, and thank you to all who submitted proposals for this year. We also want to offer special congratulations to California, Delaware, Idaho, Minnesota, Oregon, and Texas because their projects were also selected as Exemplary Ecosystem Initiatives. We encourage you to continue to promote EHEI projects.

Category State Project
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
California
Development of the Caltrans Re-Vegetation Program in Northern California
For developing an innovative and cost effective approach to re-vegetation.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Delaware
Glenville Wetlands Mitigation Bank Project and Fox Point State Park
For using a collaborative approach to manage flooding problems while improving the environment.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Idaho
Idaho Transportation/Wildlife Database
For developing an innovative tool that identifies the proximity of wildlife safety hazards.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Minnesota
Vegetation Management Memorandum of Understanding-Fond du Lac
For developing a process to manage vegetation without reliance on herbicides.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Oregon
Culturally-Sensitive Dogbane Transplanting and Inter- and Multi-Agency Collaboration
For developing an approach to preserve a culturally significant natural resource.
Joint EHEI/EEI Recognition
Texas
Seymour Park Mitigation Site
For reestablishing the link between a divided ecosystem while improving opportunities for outdoor activities.
Education and Training Programs
Michigan
Guidelines for Stakeholder Engagement
For developing a useful resource to educate people about Context Sensitive Solutions.
Education and Training Programs
Nevada
Historic Stewart Indian Cemetery Outreach and Education Partnership
For engaging the community to clean up and document an important historic site.
Education and Training Programs
Tennessee
StopLitter™ - Tennessee's Had Enough
For developing an innovative, multi-faceted campaign to reduce roadside litter.
Enhancing the Environment for Human Activities
Arkansas
Tanner Street Bridge Replacement
For employing a collaborative, context sensitive approach to replace a historic bridge.
Enhancing the Environment for Human Activities
Louisiana
Front Street in Natchitoches
For a collaborative approach to improve transportation facilities while maintaining the historic character of downtown.
Enhancing the Environment for Human Activities
Texas
The Roma Visitors Center and Plaza Project
For using a collaborative approach to rehabilitate a historic town center and improve facilities for pedestrians of all abilities.
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
Minnesota
Stillwater Lift Bridge Management Plan and Repair Project Stakeholder Involvement Process
For employing an innovative approach that emphasized Universal Design to foster access for pedestrians of all ability levels.
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
New Jersey
Route 71 Pedestrian Tunnel
For using a Context Sensitive Solutions approach to improve facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
Oregon
"Walk There! 50 Treks In and Around Portland and Vancouver" Guidebook Project
For developing a unique collaboration between transportation and health organizations to promote walking.
Process Improvements
Utah
Mountain View Corridor Environmental Impact Statement "Growth Choices" Process
For using a process that helped citizens and elected officials understand how sustainable, context sensitive approaches can be used to plan for future.

2008 Award Recipients

Category State Project
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation
California
Interstate 5/International Friendship Plaza
For an innovative approach to create a bicultural transit, pedestrian, and bicycle plaza and gateway between the United States and Mexico.
Enhancing Environment for Human Activities
Kentucky
Newtown Pike Extension-Southend Park Redevelopment and Community Land Trust
For a collaborative approach within the state that formed a community land trust to ensure community cohesion and environmental mitigation.
South Carolina
Preservation of the Fishdam Ford Revolutionary War Battle Sit
For finding and preserving a site of national historical interest while expediting roadway improvements.
Tennessee
Type II Noise Barrier Program
For instituting a statewide review of their entire Interstate system to identify noise abatement needs.
Utah
Southern Corridor Sustainable Development Initiative
For working on an innovative pilot project in conjunction with EPA and the City of St. George to protect the environment and identify sustainable development opportunities.
Process Improvement
California
Form and Formation of the Humboldt County Tribal Transportation Commission
For forming a Tribal Transportation Commission involving all of the tribes in Northern California to ensure their involvement in transportation decision making.
Florida
Efficient Transportation Decision Making
For developing a collaborative transportation decision making process that protects the natural, cultural, and built environment.
Education/Training
Alaska
Partnership for Progress
For using a collaborative approach to develop public service announcements to help citizens improve safety and protect environmental resources.
Product Development
Georgia
Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System
For developing an innovative web-based tool that includes mapping layers for archaeological, historical, and natural environment features.
Others
Illinois
US Business Route 20 Improvement
For developing an innovative assistance approach to ensure community continuity before, during, and after roadway improvements.
North Dakota
Tribal Consultation Programmatic Agreement
For developing a Tribal Consultation Committee and empowering tribes in North Dakota to protect their cultural resources and participate in transportation decision making.

2007 Award Recipients

Category State Project
Encouraging Nonmotorized Transportation Colorado 28th St Central Corridor Multimodal Improvements
This project helped transform a vehicle dominated corridor to an aesthetically pleasing multimodal corridor with improved walking and bicycling facilities, and transit service. This project is an example of a "complete street" where all travel modes are safely accommodated.
Enhancing the Environment for Human Activities Oregon Vista House
The Vista House, in use since 1918, is a key historic site along the Historic Columbia River Highway. This project involved retrofitting the site for ADA compliance without impacting aesthetics. The most innovative improvement was installing an elevator that cannot be seen when on the lower level of the structure, and therefore preserves the original aesthetics.
  Arkansas Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge (Big Dam Bridge)
The construction of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Murray Lock and Dam in the Little Rock area connects trails on both sides of the river. It is the longest bridge specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Process Improvements Kansas Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail
This project forged an innovative cooperative agreement among the Kansas Department of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) that allows the PBPN to operate with greater self sufficiency regarding management of transportation projects on the reservation.
  South Carolina US 76 Bridge Project
A significant interstate partnering effort resulted in a new bridge over the Chattooga River that connects US76 between South Carolina and Georgia and is within National forests. The team used a Context Sensitive Solutions approach to improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities, ensure that the bridge did not interfere with the scenery, and did not disrupt recreational river use.
Education and Training Programs Mississippi US Highway 45 Bypass Environmental Study
As part of the US 45 bypass environmental study, the team developed an educational program for school children, their parents, and the local community environmental stewardship and transportation decision making. This project involved partnerships with elementary schools, local news media, city, State, and Federal agencies.
Product Development Georgia Historic Preservation of the Leake Archeological Site
Partners including the area's Native American communities, city, county, State, Federal, media, and educators worked together to address looting of the Leake archeological site, increase public involvement in the data recovery plan, and provide law enforcement training needs regarding site protection.
Others New York Philip A Rayhill Memorial Trail
The Philip A. Rayhill Memorial Trail connects several residential neighborhoods to shops, education facilities, and offices in the central New York State. This project has led to increased awareness of the need for walking and bicycling connectivity in other local comprehensive plans.

If you have any questions regarding this program please contact Gabe Rousseau at gabriel.rousseau@dot.gov or (202) 366-8044.

To provide Feedback, Suggestions, or Comments for this page contact Gabe Rousseau at gabriel.rousseau@dot.gov.


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