Extreme Weather Events and HighwaysExtreme Weather Events and Highways

Date: May 30, 2014Committee: STEICSPresenters: Michael D Meyer Parsons BrinckerhoffPresenters: Michael D. Meyer, Parsons Brinckerhoff

AASHTO AASHTO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS SYMPOSIUM

Best Practices for Extreme Weather Management

• It pays to be ready and pre-plan

g

pre plan• Practice, practice, practice• Know what is out thereKnow what is out there• Use all forms of

communication media

OTHER KEY MESSAGESOTHER KEY MESSAGES

• Affects operations and maintenance functions of state DOTs today and will do more so in the future

• Involves coordinated efforts on the part of numerous pgovernmental and emergency response agencies

• Possibly changes the way one designs infrastructurePossibly changes the way one designs infrastructure

• Uses a wide range of technologies to better manage emergency responseemergency response

• Relates to asset management systems

AASHTO’s Center forAASHTO s Center forEnvironmental Excellence Initiative

Update on FederalSOMSCOEUpdate on Federal

Programs and Recent Research

SCOENASTORecent ResearchWASHTOSASHTO

SCOH SCOM STEICS SOD SOC

National Climate National Climate Assessment

(2014)(2014)

NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT (2014)NATIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT (2014)

• Changing climatic conditions and extreme weather g gevents are affecting the reliability and capacity of the U.S. transportation system in many ways.

M j t l i t i l di b th t d• Major coastal impacts, including both temporary and permanent flooding.

• Extreme weather events currently disrupt transportation• Extreme weather events currently disrupt transportation networks in all areas of the country; projections indicate that such disruptions will increase.

• Impacts can be reduced through a wide range of adaptive actions.

STUDIES & RESEARCH ON STUDIES & RESEARCH ON EXTREME WEATHER & THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

NCHRP 750, VOL. 2

Key Concepts

A t l bilit

Key Concepts

• Asset vulnerability• System resiliency• Adaptation

Risk• Risk• Flexible design• Operations/maintenance

KEY QUESTIONSKEY QUESTIONS

• How Could Changes in Temperature Affect Road Assets?How Could Changes in Temperature Affect Road Assets?

• How Could Changes in Precipitation Affect Road Assets?

• How Could Sea-Level Rise Affect Road Assets?

• How Could Greater Hurricane Intensity Affect Road Assets?y

• How Could Stressors Affect Ecological Systems?

• What Are the Types of Adaptation Strategies that Can Be Considered by Transportation Agencies?

For example…

POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION-RELATED IMPACTS

• Changes to the windows available for certain weather-

POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION RELATED IMPACTS

gsensitive construction activities (e.g., paving) including, in many cases, a lengthening of the construction season

• Changes in working hours or other strategies to protect laborers from heat waves

• Different construction contracting methods for responding to• Different construction contracting methods for responding to quick fix projects

• Enhanced erosion dust and sedimentation control plans forEnhanced erosion, dust and sedimentation control plans for more extreme precipitation events

POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION-RELATED IMPACTS

• Different types of materials and designs

POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION RELATED IMPACTS

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• Greater precautions in securing loose objects on job sites or new tree plantings due to stronger winds

• Work zone traffic management plans that take into account more frequent and perhaps more intense storms; work zone recovery strategiesrecovery strategies

VermontVermont

DISASTER RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM

RESILIENCE

Guidance Document forGuidance Document for the State of Vermont

November 2013

CaliforniaCalifornia

Highways Agency (England)Highways Agency (England)

Vulnerability of Pavement Assety

http://www.highways.gov.uk/publications/climate-change-mitigation/

Priorities for Adaptation of Highways Agency AssetsHighways Agency Assets

University Research

EXTREME WEATHER & EXTREME WEATHER & THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RESOURCES

AASHTO RESOURCESAASHTO RESOURCES• Transportation and Climate Change Resource Center

(See especially State DOT Climate Change Programs)

http://climatechange.transportation.org/

• Adapting Infrastructure to Extreme Weather Events: Best P ti d K Ch ll W k h S R tPractices and Key Challenges, Workshop Summary Report, 2012

• Integrating Extreme Weather Risk into Transportation AssetIntegrating Extreme Weather Risk into Transportation Asset Management, Technical Paper, 2012

• Impacts of Extreme Weather on Transportation: National Symposium Summary 2013Symposium Summary, 2013

Transportation Research Board Efforts

• NCHRP 25-25 (94): Integrating Extreme Weather and Adaptation into Transportation Asset Management Plans

ACRP SYNTHESIS 33 Ai t Cli t Ad t ti d• ACRP SYNTHESIS 33, Airport Climate Adaptation and Resilience A Synthesis of Airport Practice

• Risk-Based Adaptation Frameworks for Climate Change• Risk-Based Adaptation Frameworks for Climate Change Planning in the Transportation Sector, Research Circular E-C181

• Adapting Transportation to the Impacts of Climate Change: State of the Practice 2011

Transportation Research Board Efforts

• Synthesis of Climate Change and Transportation Research Efforts at State DOTs, State Universities, and Federal Level (2011)Federal Level (2011)

• Global Change and Extreme Hydrology: Testing Conventional Wisdom (2011)Conventional Wisdom (2011)

• International Conference on Transportation System Resilience to Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events, mid-2015

EXTREME WEATHER & EXTREME WEATHER & THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RESOURCES

U S DOT:U.S. DOT:http://climate.dot.gov/

FHWA: FHWA: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/index.cfm

USGS: USGShttps://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/CCWG/Resource_USag.htm

Georgetown Climate Center: htt // t li t / /t t ti dhttp://www.georgetownclimate.org/resources/transportation-and-

climate-change-clearinghouse-tccc

EU: EU: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/adaptation/index_en.htm