The department of transportation shall:

(A) Consider energy conservation as an integral factor along with economics, engineering, safety, and the environment in the planning, design, and utilization of transportation facilities;

(B) Reevaluate existing plans for highways and other transportation modes and require regional transportation studies and local planning agencies operating under state coordination or with state funds to cooperate in such reevaluation. Such reevaluation shall consider shifts to energy conservation modes and improvement in modal energy efficiencies, and shall include both technological alternatives and administrative or management strategies. Short-term conservation measures must be adaptable to long-term conservation requirements to include permanent reductions in gasoline usage and revitalization of railroads.

(C) Take all necessary steps to increase the level of awareness of transportation professions and related government sectors of those techniques that are immediately available to reduce petroleum consumption in improving operation and maintenance of transportation facilities;

(D) Review construction specifications and design standards for highway construction and maintenance, with a view to pursuing the elimination of those found to be unnecessary and wasteful of energy;

(E) Submit recommendations to the department of development and to the general assembly, designed to reduce the energy intensive nature of the existing transportation system, control the growth of gasoline demand, and support other efforts to conserve energy;

(F) In cooperation with the department of development, encourage and promote the establishment of carpool and vanpool programs including preferential parking for vehicles used in carpools or vanpools. The department of transportation shall also study the feasibility of preferential traffic control for public transportation vehicles and variable working hours as additional conservation measures.

The department shall undertake to utilize to the fullest extent funds made available under federal or state programs for the development of park-and-ride lots to serve carpools and vanpools and encourage the use of public transportation facilities. Potential locations and funds for park-and-ride lots shall be identified in at least one location in each standard metropolitan statistical area in the state. These locations shall be reported to the department of development.

Effective Date: 03-17-1989 .