A multiobjective programming approach for locating transportation
corridors through areas containing
wetlands is presented. The approach uses a geographic information system in
combination with multiple objectives for environment and construction costs,
and the North Carolina Coastal Region Evaluation of Wetland Significance (NC-CREWS)
program. The multiobjective function is a weighted combination of wetland values
and construction cost. The objective minimizes total cost of construction and
wetland impacts resulting from a specific transportation corridor. The transportation
designer specifies starting and ending points of the desired corridor. The model
then finds the best path given the weights placed on each individual objective
(i.e. habitat quality, water quality, hydrology, and construction expense).
By varying the weight set, several different paths can be found. The approach
is tested on a watershed in Carteret County North Carolina using a benchmarking
procedure. One benchmark minimizes a combined wetland significance loss (cost).
This path avoids crossing wetlands. The other benchmark minimizes construction
expense. Varying the weight placed on each of the objective function components
generates additional paths. The approach is useful in locating alternative road
corridor paths in attempts to satisfy conflicting societal interests.