Slide 1

Sustainable
Solutions in
Transportation
By: Ethan Barnum

My name is Ethan Barnum and I will be focusing on the topic of sustainability and will be
focusing on sustainable solutions found within transportation.
Slide 2

HOV Lanes

HOV Lanes are the first sustainable solution.

Slide 3

• Drivers emit carbon emissions from their vehicle

HOV Lanes • Arizona drivers often use their vehicle on a daily basis to drive to different
places
Background • Residents in the United States often drive alone.
Information • “A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide
per year” (Bland).
• The amount of greenhouse gases emitted from cars is increasing.

When people drive, they emit carbon emissions into the atmosphere on their vehicle. Most
people who live in the United states in Arizona own their own vehicle and use it to drive to
work, to go shopping, and to visit friends. Due to a variety of reasons, Arizona residents often
drive alone, especially during their commute. “A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6
metric tons of carbon dioxide per year” (Bland). The amount of greenhouse gases emitted into
the atmosphere by individual vehicles it's going to increase as population continues to increase.
HOV lanes are implemented by the Arizona Department of transportation within the state of
Arizona on multiple freeways within Phoenix and Tucson. The Arizona Department of
transportation will often contract transportation engineering firms to determine if a HOV lane is
necessary and to design them. The point of HOV lanes is to increase drivers who carpool and
lower their carbon emissions emitted from their individual vehicles.
Slide 4

HOV Lanes Technical Details

• “The first HOV lane was opened in 1969 as a bus only lane
on a freeway near Washington D.C.” (FHWA).

• HOV lanes are popular within the United States.

• HOV stands for High Occupancy Vehicles

• “A total of 345 HOV lanes are located across the United

states, and there are HOV lanes located in 24 states across
the country” (FHWA).

• HOV lanes are easily implementable

“The first HOV lane was opened in 1969 as a bus only lane on a freeway near Washington D.C.”
(FHWA). Since then, HOV lanes have been implemented all across the United States and have
increased in popularity. HOV stands for high occupancy vehicles , and these lanes typically only
allow vehicles that are eco friendly or contain more than one passenger. “A total of 345 HOV
lanes are located across the United states, and there are HOV lanes located in 24 states across
the country” (FHWA).HOV lanes are easily created , all the engineers have to do is restripe one
of the lane striping to be different than the others, and designate one lane as the HOV lane.
Slide 5

HOV Lanes Outcomes and Next Steps

• ADOT has implemented HOV Lanes along inner-city freeways
• HOV lanes have caused a decrease in individual driving
• Carbon emissions are lowered by HOV lanes
• HOV lanes will continue to be implemented the United States
• HOV Lanes cause the environment to be clearer

Due to high traffic in the state of Arizona, the Arizona Department of transportation has
implemented an HOV lanes on most freeways within cities in order to encourage carpooling to
work. HOV lanes have caused a decrease in individual driving, and an increase in commuting
together, or carpooling, in order to avoid bad traffic. HOV lanes cut the amount of carbon
emissions emitted by vehicles in half when two commuters ride together. HOV lanes will
continue to be implemented across cities within the United States and they will become more
popular as the population increases the amount of congestion along highways. the environment
will become cleaner and less full of carbon dioxide because of HOV lanes and their increasing
popularity.
Slide 6

HOV Lanes
Value Created
• HOV Lanes create much value for different groups
of people

• Value is created for commuters who can shorten

their commute time

• Environmental engineers are benefited by HOV

lanes

• HOV Lanes lower roadway congestion

• Society will see an overall benefit from HOV lanes

There is a lot of value created by HOV lanes including shorter commute times for those who use
HOV lanes, a cleaner environment, and financial benefits for those who do not have to spend as
much on gas. Value is created for commuters who can shorten their commute time by utilizing
HOV lanes plus it allows them to help clean the environment. Environmental engineers are
benefited by HOV lanes because their job becomes easier as less carbon emissions are emitted.
Traffic engineers are benefited by HOV lanes because it is a sustainable solution that they can
utilize to lower roadway congestion along highways. Society will see an overall benefit from
HOV lanes as there will be less vehicles along the roadway and a cleaner environment.
Slide 7

Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are the second sustainable solution found within transportation.
Slide 8

Bike Lanes Background

Information
• The United states has seen an increase
in health issues

• Most adults drive to work

• Not many people bike to work

• People have safety concerns when

riding bikes

• Riding a bike to work typically has a

large increase on commute time

. Bike lanes are implemented by the traffic agencies within the state of Arizona. These agencies
will often contract transportation engineering firms to determine if a bike lane is necessary and
to design them. Bikes lanes are implemented by municipal traffic agencies within the state of
Arizona on multiple freeways within Phoenix and Tucson. The traffic agencies will often contract
transportation engineering firms to determine if a bike lane is necessary and to design them.
The point of bike lanes is to encourage bikers and lower the amount of carbon emissions
emitted from their individual vehicles. They also create a safe environment for bikers.
Slide 9

Bike Lanes Technical Details

• “The first bike lane was invented in 1896 when it
was created in Brooklyn” (Ganeles)

• Bicycles lanes have become more popular

recently

• Bicycle lanes create a safe place for bicyclists

• Bicycle lanes are often denoted by a special stripe

• There are some risks for bicyclists

“The first bike lane was invented in 1896 when it was created in Brooklyn. Following the
successful installation numerous bicycle paths separate from the roadway were constructed”
(Ganeles). Bicycle lanes have become more popular over the last couple of years and have been
implemented within all 50 states. Bicycle lanes create a safe place for bicyclists to cycle
alongside the road while not actually in the travel lanes. Bicycle lanes are often denoted by a
special stripe that separates them from the rest of the roadway , typically a solid white stripe.
While there are some risks for bicyclists who use bike lanes, cyclists are able to get to their
destination much faster due to the increase of bike lanes.
Slide 10

Bike Lanes Outcomes and Next Steps

• Bike lanes have had multiple positive outcomes

• Cyclists feel safer riding in bike lanes

• The commute time has decreased for those ride their bikes to work

• Workplaces will continue to encourage a biking commute

• More bike lanes will be implemented

Bike lanes have had multiple positive outcomes, but the largest one is an increase in the
number of people who ride their bike. Cyclists feel safer when they do not have to compete
with walkers on the sidewalk and vehicles in the travel lanes. For commuters that ride their bike,
the commute time is decreased because they are able to ride on most large roadways that are
already set up to connect people to their workplace. Cyclists will continue to be encouraged by
their workplaces to ride their bike to work instead of drive their car. Another next step is that
bike lanes will continue to be implemented along almost all roadways and more technology will
be invented to keep cyclists safe.
Slide 11

Bike Lanes Value Created

• Bike lanes benefit many different groups of
people

• Employees are benefited because of health

benefits

• Commuting to work with a bicycle has

productivity benefits

• Teenagers gain a safe form of transportation

Bike lanes benefit many different groups of people, but three people that are benefited by it are
employees , employers, and teenagers. Employees are benefited because they are able to see
the health benefits when they ride their bike to work instead of driving. Commuting to work
with a bicycle has a few productivity benefits, which brings value to employers who are able to
get more out of their employees. Teenagers are a special group of people who do not have their
drivers license yet but still need a way to get around, and bike lanes provide value to them
because it provides them a safer way to ride their bike to get to places.
Slide 12

References:
• “Bike Lanes.” National Association of City Transportation Officials, 24 July 2015, nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/bike-lanes.

• Bland, Jeremy. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes. afdc.energy.gov/laws/HOV. Accessed 26 Feb.

2023.

• Editorial Board, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. “Rep. Tom Patton Needs to Explain His Misguided Overreach on Bike Lanes: Editorial.” Cleveland, 26

Feb. 2023, www.cleveland.com/opinion/2023/02/rep-tom-patton-needs-to-explain-his-misguided-overreach-on-bike-lanes-editorial.html.

• Ganeles, Jennifer. The Evolution of Bikes and Bike Lanes – Public-ation. 18 May 2014, eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/adiv14_magazine/2014/05/18/the-

evolution-of-bikes-and-bike-lanes. Accessed 26 Feb. 2023.

• HOV Lanes Restricted During Certain Times and for Certain Vehicles | ADOT. azdot.gov/adot-news/hov-lanes-restricted-during-certain-times-and-certain-

vehicles.

• Managed Lanes and HOV Facilities - Freeway Management Program - FHWA Operations. ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/mngd_lns_hov.htm.

Here are the sources that I referenced during this presentation.