What does adaptation look like in the transportation sector?
ARCCA’s Roadmap to Resilience aim to answer this question by highlighting recommended adaptation measures and their associated planning activities to help local agencies accelerate their adaptation efforts. This roadmap is structured by climate impact for ease of navigation and to align with existing funding structures. It is important to note that local agencies should aim to coordinate at the regional scale to work with neighboring jurisdictions to leverage limited resources, work towards a shared regional vision, and to gain economies of scale.
Higher Temperatures & Extreme Heat
Promote the use of innovative materials and infrastructure design Key sector implications addressed: increased risk of road, bridge, and railroad track failure; and pavement and asphalt cracking and rutting, including at airport runways. |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Require staff and/or contractor education to ensure climate adaptation and resilience knowledge, and to utilize climate-resilient materials |
|
Implement asset management system and increase monitoring and maintenance schedules to minimize repair backlogs |
|
Use and promote the use of cool (high albedo) pavements |
|
Use and promote shading techniques such as through urban forestry or solar PV for parking lots, bike and pedestrian pathways, streets where possible |
|
Encourage transit design decisions that reduce the urban heat island effect and account for extreme heat events Key sector implications addressed: vehicles overheating, congestion, and network delays; and decreased comfort and/or health risks for public transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Use passive cooling techniques at transit stops |
|
Reduce energy use of transit facilities |
|
Expand transit service and make transit more convenient and comfortable for customers |
|
Promote active transportation Key sector implications addressed: vehicles overheating, congestion, and network delays; and decreased comfort and/or health risks for public transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Improve alternative transportation routes to make walking and bicycling more convenient and comfortable for community members |
|
Educate active transportation users about heat illness prevention and treatment |
|
Drought, Extreme Weather & Flooding
Develop multimodal transportation routes and promote alternative modes of transportation Key sector implications addressed: increased risk of damage to evacuation and emergency response routes, impair goods movement, and disrupt energy and fuel distribution systems |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Develop alternate routes or services to provide a variety of travel options and to ensure safe and dependable evacuation routes, and maintain continuity of travel when service is disrupted |
|
Promote the adoption of electric vehicles |
|
Convert public fleets to utilize alternative energy sources |
|
Incentivize alternative modes of transportation and carpooling |
|
Enhance water infiltration and stormwater management Key sector implications addressed: increased risk of landslides and erosion washing away transportation infrastructure and increased land subsidence from heightened groundwater use during drought |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Use and promote the use of permeable pavements and green infrastructure |
|
Ensure adequate drainage on roadbed surfaces and shoulders |
|
Protect infrastructure against landslides and erosion Key sector implications addressed: increased risk of landslides and erosion washing away transportation infrastructure and increased land subsidence from heightened groundwater use during drought |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Implement slope hardening |
|
Install rockfall protection |
|
Sea Level Rise, Storm Surge & Coastal Erosion
Extend planning horizon to account for long range sea level rise projections Key sector implications addressed: inundation of low-lying areas and their roads |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Evaluate transportation sector vulnerabilities |
|
Assess adaptation options |
|
Establish development standards |
|
Increased Wildfire Risk
Reduce wildfire risk and damage Key sector implications addressed: Damage to transportation infrastructure including critical evacuation routes, and secondary impacts to roadways from slope erosion, debris flow, and mudslides |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Enhance forest health and resilience |
|
Establish standards to reduce infrastructure and property damage |
|
Reduce the risk of mudslides and debris flow |
|
Protect critical facilities and evacuation routes Key sector implications addressed: damage to transportation infrastructure including critical evacuation routes |
|
Adaptation Measures | Planning Activities |
Protect critical facilities and evacuation routes |
|