Sustainable Infrastructure Keeps Communities Connected and Protected
January 16, 2026
Public infrastructure makes up the backbone of how our country operates in its day-to-day. Cars, trucks, trains, boats and planes traverse land, air and water to move people and goods as quickly and efficiently as possible to keep up with our busy society.
Buildings are constructed to serve purposes from housing and office space to manufacturing and medical services. The infrastructure we can’t always see, like pipelines, sewage systems, digital networks and power lines, plays a huge role in providing daily necessities like electricity, natural gas and clean water.
Because infrastructure takes up so much space and touches many areas, even unknowingly, in our lives, it is critical for these systems to be sustainably designed, constructed and cared for to keep environmental and human health as a top priority.
What is Sustainable Infrastructure?
According to the International Institute for Sustainable Development, sustainable infrastructure involves the development of roads, buildings, energy and water infrastructure with consideration of economic, social and environmental implications. When infrastructure is carefully planned and consciously constructed, it can make a great impact on communities.
Sustainable Infrastructure in Alabama
Across the Southeast and here in our home state of Alabama, various sustainable infrastructure projects are both being developed and in the works. The Rebuild Alabama Act provides funding for road and bridge improvements across the state, with focus on generating economic growth and reinforcing safety on the state’s roadways. Additionally, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) offers funds for public transit, electric vehicle (EV) charging networks and rail improvements, which supports inclusive transportation options and aims to protect the environment. The BIL also provides grants for communities to improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems to protect environmental and human health by addressing dangerous contaminants.
In this part of the country, special consideration is made for potential regional hazards like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires and other natural disasters when infrastructure projects are developed. One example is here in our own backyard, the I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway, which is a large project to replace the low-lying Bayway with elevated bridges for storm resilience and better clearance for ships. New interchanges will also help motorists have an easier time navigating between Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
How McFadden Engineering Supports Sustainable Infrastructure
McFadden has played various supporting roles in sustainable infrastructure projects across the Southeast and the country, including a natural gas pipeline project in Georgia and various projects funded by Pipeline Hazardous Material (PHMSA) grants issued through the Department of Transportation (DOT). The work on these projects included environmental permitting, development of best management practices, evaluation of pipeline routes for environmental considerations such potential impacts on water bodies and wetlands, as well as the identification of environmentally sensitive areas within the project footprint.
The engineering team at McFadden can provide site assessment and remediation prior to project initiation and support environmental compliance efforts throughout projects, which are keys to developing sustainable infrastructure. Civil and environmental engineering services are critical for sustainable infrastructure projects to remain in compliance and be completed on time, and can include development master planning, grading and drainage plan development, detention/retention design and stormwater management.
McFadden also specializes in water and wastewater management, which is often a key component of infrastructure development and management. By evaluating the water and wastewater needs of the project, a solution can be developed that specifically addresses any problems.
No matter the type of sustainable infrastructure project or complexity of environmental implications surrounding it, McFadden is equipped to help. Browse our services and contact us today.