ROUTIÈRES

Sétra
service d’Études
techniques
des routes
et autoroutes
ENVIRONMENT
TECHNICITY
TECHNIQUES
ROUTIÈRES
SAFETY
EXCHANGES
STANDARDISATION
A global approach for an
environmentally-friendly
motorway
A global approach for an environmentally-friendly motorway
Transport plays a determining role
in a whole series of stakes in our
society, because of its effects on the
environment
and
the
economic and social development
of the areas it uses and serves, thus
even requiring political management which is the only way of
integrating all these stakes. This
involves
the
notion
of
sustainable development.
Transport policies, designing and
planning transport networks and
systems that combine complementary modes of transport, but
also designing each infrastructure,
must also meet sustainable development aims.
There are four initial categories of
sustainable development stakes for
any transport system or infrastructure:
· environmental and heritage
stakes: maintaining and preserving
biodiversity (fauna and flora); preserving sites and landscapes,
archeological sites, historical and
architectural heritage buildings,
tourist appeal; preserving natural
resources (impact on energy
reserves, drinking water reserves,
Sustainable
development,
a transverse
approach
forests, material resources, etc.)
and streams; preserving agricultural heritage;
■ economic and social stakes:
dynamic local development, (jobs
(attractivity, accessibility), tourist
activities); regional planning and
social and economic equilibrium;
the value of land and real estate
close to transport infrastructures
and serviced areas; waste recovery
and recycling, etc.;
■ anitary stakes: quality of soil,
plants and water on which infrastructures have had an impact and
reducing risks for the food chain;
health of people involved in transport systems (negative (air, noise),
but also positive impacts, notably
due to gaining health care access);
■ enjeux sanitaires : qualité des sols,
des végétaux et des eaux impactés
par les infrastructures et réduction
des risques concernant la chaîne
alimentaire ; santé des populations
concernées par les systèmes de
transports (impacts négatifs (air,
bruit), mais aussi positifs, notamment du fait de l’accessibilité aux
soins) ;
■ esocial-political stakes: informing
and listening to involved people
and participants, public debates
and dialogue, preserving social
cohesion, changing lifestyles, etc.
In this respect, the actual design of
transport networks and infrastructures (type of traffic, layout of
infrastructures and routes, avoiding sensitive or fragile areas, new
accessibility, technical design suited to environmental stakes) will
be a determining factor in their
environmental quality, but also
more generally for sustainable
development. Their operation
mode will also be essential:
controlling traffic and speed,
managing peak times and night
schedules (railway and air transport), maintenance of environmentally-friendly systems, "life
cycle" approaches, support policies
(town planning and housing, farming aid, industrial, economic
and cultural development, tourism, etc.): all these elements will
help to meet the sustainable development aims that are now required from transport networks and
infrastructures, via consistent and
concerted approaches. ■
TRAVEL
HERITAGE
“Environment”
Studies
Department
Structure
Setra's "Environment" Studies
Department is structured
around four main themes:
Pollution and sanitary
impacts"
Water pollution; hydrological
hazards; atmospheric pollution;
soil pollution; sanitary impacts
due to air, water and soil. ■
“Noise”
National and European regulations; noise forecasting model;
rolling noise and road surfacing;
tools and methodology (quality
of studies, choice and size of
protection systems, "monetising" noise, standardisation,
etc…); effects of noise on discomfort and health.
■
“Natural environments and
landscape” Impacts on fauna
and flora; biodiversity and specific layouts; applying European
directives and the Natura 2000
network; monitoring the 1%
Landscape and Development
policy; interactions between
landscape, road legibility and
safety; managing plantations;
developing tools and methodologies in the landscaping field.
■
“Sustainable development”
Treatment and recovery of
waste from infrastructures; strategic environmental assessment; impact surveys;
environmental reports; quality
of global studies; infrastructure
and layout; integrated sustainable development approach.
■
Pierre SKRIABINE,
Head of Environment Studies
The Sétra Newsletter | Number 4
TECHNIQUES ROUTIÈRES
Landscape in
road projects
In France, certain laws enable
to integrate landscape development and protection in regulations (law on sites and natural
monuments of 1930, nature
protection law from 1976, landscape development and protection law of 1993, law reinforcing
protection of the environment in
1995, European Landscape
Convention of 2000).
Landscape is viewed differently
now, evolving from a property
angle, to a daily life and nature
aspect. Since the 1980s, this
has led to increasingly taking
the landscape into account
when designing road projects.
Today, new projects are conducted with specialists (landscape
architects, geographers, etc…).
From the initial studies and
throughout the designing phase
of road infrastructures, landscape reflection enables, firstly, to
help choose sites used, then
determine options about the
relationship between the road
and area that it serves.
Setra takes part in broadcasting
and improving these practices
thanks to its own methodological publications, but also by
sharing special experience involving innovating approaches, via
information notes.
Jessica BROUARD,
In charge of Landscape Studies
+
For more information
Consult le Sétra’s
internet site:
www.setra.equipement.gouv.fr
The Sétra Newsletter | Number 4
page 2
Road legibility, for an innovating
approach combining road safety
and landscape
road safety diagnosis, you can characterise and enhance understanding of fault areas along this route.
The road seen by the road-user in his/her vehicle
For more than three years, Setra
has been leading a think-tank
about landscape and road safety
problems via road legibility RIPL
Group: Requalification d'Itinéraires - Paysage et Lisibilité de la
route (Route Requalification Landscape and Road Legibility).
These reflections start via a methodology implemented in the late
1980s and early 1990s thanks to
"Safer City - Accident-Free
Districts" and "Road and Street
Safety" programmes.
Then, multidisciplinary teams
worked together to improve urban
road safety by analysing routes in
their urban context and integrating all modes of transport and
road-use. Assessing road safety is
based on technical criteria linked
to its features or accidents, but also
other criteria such as the legibility
or consistency of all the elements
of the road and its environment.
This approach aims to improve
the road-user's grasp of the route,
via its environment.
As these practices have proved to
be efficient in urban areas, some
CETE - Centres d'Etudes
Techniques de l'Equipement
(Public
Works
Regional
Engineering Centres) managers
gradually started transposing them
to intercity routes. The RIPL working group produced a report of
its experience called: Paysage et
Lisibilité - Approches Paysage et
Sécurité routière (Landscape and
Legibility - Landscape and Road
Safety Approaches) while preparing its "Road Legibility" methodology.
As all infrastructures are surrounded by some type of landscape, we
are interested in its contribution to
the act of driving and road safety.
This is achieved by including perception mechanisms in road analysis.
This route analytical approach is
based on dynamic sequencing supported by 4 groups of criteria:
■ the route's technical configuration (geometry, planning principles, equipment);
■ functional aspect (types of traffic, types of road users, how it is
used and its functions);_
■ the territorial and landscaping
context (topography, visual axis
and fronts, land use, landscape
units, landscape development, day
and night ambience);
■ road-user perception (notions of
constraint and comfort, dynamic
route legibility).
This analysis, performed at the
same time and as a complement to
the road safety diagnosis, enriches
the latter. Indeed, by collating a
route's dynamic sequencing linked
to road-user behaviour with the
The methodological reflection or
RIPL (Route Requalification Landscape and Road Legibility)
aims to offer, from an experience
report, analysis tools of the relationship between the road and its
environment that enable to improve both road safety and landscape.
It is aimed at road designers and
developers, providing elements for
understanding road - driver - environment interaction (driver's perception of landscape, road
legibility, route sequencing, infrastructure programme), which can
be useful to new road building.
This analysis method is far from
being a "miracle" tool and offers a
more transverse approach of
routes. It combines landscape with
road safety, which strengthens the
logic of road development and is
at one with the global project
approach (road + land), in which
roads are not considered to be
separate from their environment.
Also, this kind of analysis is not
only interesting for road safety
purposes. It can also enable to
reflect upon land and area use in
order to achieve consistency and
appropriateness between the route
and its area. ■
Jessica BROUARD,
In charge of Landscape Studies
TECHNIQUES ROUTIÈRES
page 3
The 1 % Landscape and Development Policy
Discovery route on the A75. Concept born from the 1 % landscape
and development policy
The partnership and contractual
1% landscape and development
policy implemented by the French
Highway Authority in 1989 on
the A20 and A75 motorways
aimed to preserve the outstanding
landscapes of the Massif Central
and take part in this region's tourist and economic development.
The French circular of 12
December 1995 extended this
policy to 40 routes both on the
national trunk road and toll
motorway networks.
Above all, this approach is based
on a partnership between various
participants (French State, local
authorities, associations, etc…). It
aims to encourage local participants to adopt a new approach
that highlights landscape analysis
before any development reflection.
The French State, via this policy,
finances global studies that enable
to produce a White Paper for a
given route, which expresses the
major town and country planning
stakes and aims linked to the trunk
road or motorway. Then, the State
(or concessionary company) subsidises no more than 50 % of
concrete landscape development
actions supported by local participants and set out in the aims of
local authorities found in route
and local charters.
After a few years, the 1% landscape and development policy was
found to activate local land policies and strengthen intercommunal ties.
Presently, the1% landscape and
In order to be efficient when
fighting road pollution, you must
firstly determine the basic characteristics of this pollution: origin,
composition, frequency and
amounts involved.
Then, forecasting the dispersal of
this pollution near the infrastructure, by wind, rain and resuspension, is a decisive phase, as it
enables to determine which environment (air, water, soil) and
population (fauna, flora, human)
will be affected by this pollution.
The Setra Environment Studies
Department's main aims are to
produce methodologies, tools and
guides that indicate how to reduce these impacts, protect natural
resources and assess sanitary
hazards for clients and technical
managers.
Fields involved are road drainage
and water resources (surface water,
underground water, drinking
water catchment areas), air and
soil pollution. ■
Laurence CALOVI,
In Charge of Air, Water, Soil and
Sustainable Development Studies
Jessica BROUARD,
In charge of Landscape Studies
Protecting the natural
environment
Road Pollution: water,
air, soil
Road pollution is not only due to
traffic (exhaust gas, vehicle and
road wear, spills) but also infrastructure operation (winter salting,
maintenance of green outbuildings, equipment).
development circular is being
reviewed by the Comité national
de suivi et de gestion de la politique 1% (National 1% Policy
Monitoring and Management
Committee) in which Setra takes
part.
Within the framework of this
policy, Setra also provides technical support to the French Highway
Authority and assistance to State
and local authorities, thanks notably to books such as the Politique
1% Paysage et DéveloppementLes itinéraires de découverte (1%
Landscape and Development
Policy - Discovery Routes) methodological guide. ■
1
2
1. Wildlife path above a motorway
2. Protected natural areas.es
The "Habitats" European Directive,
setting up the "Natura 2000" network and the need to conduct specific incidence studies, the
awareness of biodiversity stakes at
European level lead Setra into producing a set of documents for the
scientific community, and notably:
■ recommendations for wildlife
developments;
■ data elements about collisions
with animals and means of prevention;
■ state of the art and recommendations about taking biodiversity
stakes into account;
■ methodology and examples of
"Natura 2000" incidence studies;
■ data sheets about species and
habitats to be protected;
■ information documents about
legal constraints for weak, protected and recorded natural areas;
■ mapping these areas;
■ cartographie de ces zones. ■
Delphine CHEVALIER,
In Charge of Narural Environment and
Waste
The Sétra Newsletter | Number 4
page 4
TECHNIQUES ROUTIÈRES
Road and
railway noise
"Noise" activity within the
Environment Studies Department
can be divided into four great
sections involving the following:
■ implementing the European
Noise Directive (25 June 2002),
work on the feasibility of maps
showing noise near major transport routes, corresponding methodology and costs;
■ updating the 1980 Noise Guide
that enables to forecast land transport noise levels, with studies on
sound emission and propagation
and adjusting noise forecasting
models to the European Directive
(dividing traffic between the three
periods of day, evening and night);
■ rolling noise and road surfacing:
studies about time monitoring of
road surface acoustic performance, French standardisation of
on-line measurement and taking
part in the European SILVIA
Project's Advisory Committee;
■ actions relating to methodology
and conducting noise studies,
knowledge of protection equipment (noise screens, screen tops),
measuring noise on resident
facades and finally infrastructure
work site noise. ■
Francis BESNARD, Vincent GUIZARD,
In Charge of Noise
A selection of a few publications
■ Prise en compte de l'environnement
et du paysage dans les projets routiers
(Taking the environment and landscape
into account in road projects);
Instruction; March 1996; Highway
Authority, Setra.
■ Le dossier d'étude d'impact (Impact
study file), Methodological guide, Setra
- Certu, August 1996.
■ Le dossier des engagements de
l'Etat (State commitment file),
Methodological guide, Setra - Certu,
August 1996.
■ Suivis et bilans environmentaux.
Projets routiers interurbains
(Environmental monitoring and reports.
Intercity road projects), Methodological
guide, Setra, December 1996.
■ Les études d'environment dans les
projets routiers - Projets routiers interurbains, (Road project environment studies. Intercity road projects),
Methodological guide, Setra, October
1997.
■ L'eau et la route (Water and the highway), Volumes 1 to 7, (Setra), 1993 to
1999.
■ Bruit des infrastructures routières Méthode de calcul incluant les effets
météorologiques (Road infrastructure
noise - Calculation method including
weather effects) (NMPB-Routes-96).
■ Bruit et études routières -Manuel du
chef de projet (Road noise and studies
- Head of Project Manual) (Setra Certu, 2001).
■ Note méthodologique sur les études
d'environnement dans les projets routiers Volet "Air" (Methodological note
on road project environment studies,
"Air" section) - 2000 (Certu - Setra).
■ Etudes d'environment dans les projets routiers Volet "Air" (Road project
environment studies, "Air" section) -
The Sétra Newsletter | Number 4
technical appendix to the methodological note - 2000 (Certu - Setra).
■ Passages pour la grande faune
(Paths for large animals) - technical
guide - 1993.
■ Petits mammifères et aménagements routiers (Small mammals and
road development) (Cete de l'Ouest) n° 34, December 1992.
■ Collisions véhicules grands mammifères sauvages - Analyse jurisprudentielle des responsabilités (Collisions
between vehicles and large wild mammals - Decisional analysis of responsibilities) (Setra - CSTR) - n° 53,
May1997.
■ La lutte contre l'ambroisie (Fighting
ragweed), information note n° 71, April
2003.
■ Route & paysage guide méthodologique à l'usage des chefs de projet et
des paysagistes (Road & landscape
methodological guide for heads of projects and landscape architects) - Setra
1995, ref. B9545.
■ Politique du 1% Paysage et développement- les itinéraires de découverte
(1% landscape and development policy
- discovery routes), Setra.
■ La route et le paysage (Road & landscape), information note n° 67, 68 and
69, June to November 2002.
■ Gestion des déchets de construction
et d'exploitation liés à la route
(Management of road building and operation waste), information note n° 63,
April 2000.
“Environment"
Studies Department
The Centre de la Sécurité, des
Transports et de la Route - CSTR
(Safety and Road Techniques
Centre) includes an "Environment"
Studies Department that performs
the following:
■ preparing technical, methodology and tool policies, as well as
providing technical assistance to
services in taking account of the
environment and landscape in
transport, road or railway infrastructures;
■ supporting the French Highway
Authority and Inland Transport
Department in preparing their
policies and applying environmen-
tally-friendly legislation and regulations;
■ including environmental aspects
in various CSTR and Centre des
Techniques d'Ouvrages d'Art CTOA (Engineering Structure
Techniques Centre) technical fields;
■ controlling the scientific and
technical network in the environment field. ■
Pierre SKRIABINE,
Environment Studies Manager
Organisation chart
Head of Studies
Pierre SKRIABINE
Air, Water, Soil
Laurence CALOVI
Natural Environment
Delphine CHEVALIER
Waste
Delphine CHEVALIER
Sustainable Development
Pierre SKRIABINE
Laurence CALOVI
Noise
Francis BESNARD
Vincent GUIZARD
Landscape
Jessica BROUARD
Secrétariat
Laetitia CROUSIL-PRUVOT
TECHNIQUES ROUTIÈRES Directeur de la publication : Jean-Claude Pauc. Rédacteur en chef : Pierre
Establet. Secrétariat de rédaction : Geneviève Himmer. Conception et Réalisation : Irma Communication Tél. 01 55 62 00 50. Imprimeur : Caractère - Aurillac. ISSN : en cours. Crédits photos : MELTMT, Sétra. Prix : 0,8 €
Sétra : 46, Avenue Aristide Briand, 92225 Bagneux Cedex - Tél. : 01 46 11 31 31 - Fax : 01 46 11 31 69