Flickr: CoreBurn

Transportation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions out there, and many approaches have been taken to solving this problem. As hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels are increasing in popularity, officials in Florida are looking to make pit stops greener, too.

Four of the eight iconic service plazas on Florida’s Turnpike will be torn down and rebuilt to be more environmentally friendly, while the remaining structures will be remodeled to also conform to high environmental standards, according to USA Today.

The new service plazas will feature lots of windows and high ceilings to maximize the use of natural light, non-toxic building materials, and plants that can survive the Florida climate without irrigation. The structures will encourage visitors to sit and eat outside, harkening back to the 1940s and 1950s when families would pull off the highway and picnic during long drives.

There were more than 2.5 million registered passenger vehicles in the U.S. in 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transit Statistics. With so many cars and trucks on the road, departments of transportation are beginning to realize that what is put on the side of the road is just as important as what is put on the road. Florida is taking the lead in this movement, encouraged by Governor Charlie Crist’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The latest concession contract of the Florida Turnpike requires its service plazas to be LEED certified, which requires meeting strict environmental standards.

Other states are making efforts to improve the green credentials of their highways as well, according to the article. Pennsylvania’s first certified green state building was its Turnpike Commission’s headquarters, which is partially powered by wind farms. Pennsylvania is also rebuilding its travel plazas to be LEED certified, along with Florida. Massachusetts officials have announced plans to install wind turbines near one of the state highway’s rest areas.

By Elizabeth Wolfe