Integration of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in motorway/highway planning and construction: A case study for sustainable infrastructure development in Pakistan

Pakistan has constantly prioritized the development of roads and motorways as they are they are reflective of nation’s economic and physical condition. However, poor highway planning, design, and construction can have a negative impact on the environment and can lower the quality of life for inhabitants. Therefore, eco-friendly roadway/motorway planning, and construction approaches are crucial for reducing environmental, social, and economic damages. Currently, environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the prevalent method for assessing and evaluating the environmental impact of road infrastructure projects. Still, this conventional approach focuses primarily on development projects and lacks strategic insight. Hence, the world is now focusing on integrating and implementing SEA as a realistic approach for executing a sustainability plan in every area, including the infrastructure and transportation sector. Pakistan invests a considerable portion of its annual budget on infrastructure, particularly roadways; therefore, it must incorporate the changing trends and parameters into the planning and developing phase. thus, current research aims to incorporate SEA into the strategic planning of motorway/highway development by conducting a desktop study using secondary sources, including research articles and EIA reports, to analyze the environmental and socioeconomic effects of motorway/highway by identifying the direct, indirect, and commutative impacts. The alternatives are assessed using impact criteria and indicators to choose the best sustainable option for achieving the required objectives. our study is a pioneer work to integrate SEA into the planning process for highway construction, which would act as a baseline and an advisory tool for the decision-makers to incorporate SEA in Pakistan’s strategic development planning.