The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) have developed and in some cases begun to implement a range of strategies promoting energy efficiency and reducing associated greenhouse emissions in the transportation sector.
This initiative began in May, 2011 and included a consortium of federal and state agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and rural planning partners that have come together to leverage resources, and promote efficiency and effectiveness among agencies by collectively exploring ways to develop “Energy Smart Transportation” strategies.
Ten strategies were adopted, based on ease of implementation and the strategies’ associated energy saving benefits. They include:
- planning and project selection processes that take into account energy use,
- measures to accelerate the non-petroleum fuel supply infrastructure
- fleet conversion to non-petroleum vehicles,
- truck stop electrification,
- highway speed harmonization,
- new efforts to track energy use by transportation system users,
- transit information improvements, and
- transportation-energy education.
In a final collaborative meeting held on November 29, CDOT Executive Director Don Hunt, commended the successful partnerships of the initiative which brought together many state and federal agencies. “This initiative serves as a great example of advancing our Governor’s desire for a more effective, efficient, and elegant state government and will help place Colorado in a national leadership role in considering energy in transportation,” he said.
T.J. Deora, GEO Executive Director, said, “The implementation of the Energy Smart Transportation Initiative has a great potential for the creation of substantial economic drivers, energy cost reductions, promoting the energy renewable energy industry and economic development.”
A summary of the initiative is available here. A forthcoming report will be provided in early 2012 with greater detail on the process and strategies. SSTI will hold a webinar on the initiative will in early 2012 as well.