| dc.description.abstract | Mountainous highways are important channels for the provision of transport, livelihood activities, and economic development. According to the March 2005 World Bank report entitled “Natural Disaster Hotspots – A Global Risk Analysis,” Taiwan has the largest population that is exposed to the threat of more than three different kinds of natural disasters. Approximately 74% of Taiwan’s mountainous highways are located on hillside and in forest areas. This, coupled with the high frequency and intensity of rainfalls, severely impacts the livelihood and economy of the affected areas. In recent years, sustainable development issues have become a national policy, and relevant indicators have been constructed to assess the response. However, for mountainous highways, the existing indicators appear inadequate due to the catastrophic damages that may be caused by uncertain climate changes. As such, this study conducts a literature review and, by combining considerations of the environment, construction materials, construction methods and energy usage, establishes nine candidate sustainability indicators for mountainous highways. Using the Delphi method, 44 assessment criteria are then developed based on the reliability and validity of their test statistics from responses of 295 sample questionnaires. Finally, the indicators are applied to the “Tai-20” mountainous highway to measure its sustainable features and to develop a checklist for future sustainable construction. The proposed indicators and assessment criteria provide highway agencies with a useful tool for the planning, design, and construction of sustainable mountainous highways.
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