Green rural road network elements for rural road in Malaysia

Nowadays, the implementation of green practices has become one of the most favored methods in road construction, given that these vital infrastructure assets have a significant impact on the environment and human well-being. These impacts include alterations to the physical landscape and a negative effect on the quality of life for the surrounding communities. In Malaysia, particularly in rural areas, the networks comprise the largest proportion of roads in the country, making efficient and sustainable rural road networks even more crucial. Therefore, this study aims to identify the elements of green rural road networks that should be considered in the development of rural roads. Moreover, the absence of a specific guideline for green road development in rural areas highlights the need to address this gap through a systematic approach. This study employs five phases of methodology process in order to achieve its objectives. Through an intensive literature review, 32 elements for green rural road networks were identified. These elements were then presented in the form of a questionnaire. A pilot test was conducted involving 53 road experts and practitioners in Malaysia. The respondents were individuals working in the field of Civil Engineering, specializing in road construction and maintenance work in Malaysia. In this study, descriptive analysis was conducted to interpret the demographic data of the respondents and the Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the green rural road elements. Based on the analysis, 32 elements of green road were finalized based on common core attributes of green rating system and rural characteristics and issues in Malaysia.