otto rpo2012

RPC Involvement in the Recovery of Vermont’s Transportation Network after Tropical Storm Irene

Presented by Katharine Otto, Southern Windsor County RPC

on behalf of the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies

NADO Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference 2012, Burlington VT

What happened in Vermont?

Damage across Vermont

Maps produced by Pam Brangan at the Irene Local Roads Response Resource Coordination Center.

9/30/2011. pbrangan@ccrpcvt.org

Southern Windsor County

Cavendish – Winery Road Bridge

Photograph by SWCRPC staff

Cavendish – Carlton Road

Photograph by SWCRPC staff

“Cavendish Canyon” on VT-131

Photograph by SWCRPC staff

Traditional Role of Vermont’s RPCsVermont s RPCs

Coordinated regional planning

Transportation planningplanning

Local land use planning & zoningE l Emergency planning & preparedness

Natural resource planning

GIS mapping & analysisanalysis

What was our task?

VTrans requested assistance from Vermont’s 11 VTrans requested assistance from Vermont s 11 RPCs

Specific tasks Specific tasksMapping & data collectionResource matchingCommunicationsTechnical assistanceFEMA PA assistanceFEMA PA assistance

Strengthsg

Pre-established relationships with municipalities Pre established relationships with municipalities TransportationGIS mapping and infrastructure inventories

Pre-established working relationships and partnerships with state agencies and volunteers

Inter-RPC mutual aid assistance – less impacted RPCs help more impacted RPCs

Areas for improvementsp

No pre-defined role for RPCs to assist VTrans in the No pre defined role for RPCs to assist VTrans in the manner requested

Not all RPC staff had adequate knowledge and/or Not all RPC staff had adequate knowledge and/or training for tasks

Communications challenges Communications challenges Continuously changing expectations Collecting too much information Collecting too much information

Th k

Picture from Town of Weathersfield facebook page

Contact:Katharine Otto kotto@swcrpc org

Thank you

Katharine Otto kotto@swcrpc.orgPam Brangan pbrangan@ccrpcvt.orgMichele Boomhower mboomhower@ccrpcvt.orgCatherine Dimitrik cdimitruk@nrpcvt.com