National Cooperative Highway
Research Program
NCHRP Research Update for STEICS
October 19, 2013
NCHRP P ROJECTS OF I NTEREST
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20-83(5): Climate Change and the Highway System: Impacts and
Adaptation Approaches;
20-05/Topic 44-08: Response to Extreme Weather Impacts on
Transportation Systems;
08-36/Task 107: Synthesis of State DOT and MPO Planning and
Analysis Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
25-25/Task 76: Synthesis of Climate Change and Transportation
Research Efforts at State DOTs, State Universities, and Federal
Level;
25-25/Task 94: Integrating Extreme Weather into Transportation
Asset Management Plans; and
25-25/Task 95: SCOE Strategic Plan and Research Plan for SCOE
Areas of Interest.
20-83(05): C LIMATE C HANGE AND THE
H IGHWAY S YSTEM : I MPACTS AND
A DAPTATION A PPROACHES
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Synthesize the range of impacts of climate change on the highway
system by region of the United States for the period 2030-2050.
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Recommend institutional arrangements, tools, approaches and
strategies that state DOTs can use during the different stages of
planning and project development and system management.
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Prepare guidance for dealing with impacts.
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Identify future research and activities needed to improve our
understanding.
20-83(05): C LIMATE C HANGE AND THE
H IGHWAY S YSTEM : I MPACTS AND A DAPTATION
A PPROACHES
Status: Final report received. Publication expected by April 2014. Some guidelines
include:
1. How might climate change affect xxxxx?
2. What is the adaptive transportation system management approach to
considering climate change?
3. What are the elements of an adaptive xxxxx program?
4. What strategies can be considered as part of the adaptive xxxxx program?
5. What is the process for considering the analysis of such strategies as part of
decision making?
6. What are the risk assessment and cost effectiveness tools that can be used to
analyze possible strategies?
7. How is an adaptive xxxxx program established?
Includes a Practitioners’ Web-based Tool to Suggest
What Adaptive Actions Should be Considered, If Any
First-Order Climate
Variable
(Columns B and C)
Second-Order
Climate
Variable
(If Applicable)
(Column D)
Method for
Estimating the
Second-Order
Climate
Variable
(If Applicable)
(Column E)
Affected
Design Input
(Column F)
Precipitation
24-Hour
precipitation
for given
recurrence
interval
More
extreme
rainfall
events
Stream flows
(2 -100 year
recurrence
intervals)
Theoretical
models (TR20, TR-55,
HEC-HMS,
rational
method)
IDF Curves
Precipitation
distribution
Typical Source(s) of
Referenced Design Input
(Column G)
What Future Value to Use for the
Affected Design Input?
(Column H)
NOAA Atlas 14
or TP-40
Preferred: Utilize downscaled
projected climate change precipitation
values
Alternative: Use relative increases in
precipitation amounts following the
Clasius-Clapeyron relationship
NOAA Atlas 14, TP-40,
or state specific sources
Preferred: Utilize projected IDF
curves reflecting projected climate
change if available
Alternative: Use relative increases in
precipitation totals following the
Clasius-Clapeyron relationship7
NRCS type curves or
state specific curves
Preferred: Utilize projected
precipitation distribution type curves
from climate models
Alternative: Assume no changes and
utilize existing curves
S YNTHESIS 20-05/T OPIC 44-08 – R ESPONSE
TO E XTREME W EATHER I MPACTS ON
T RANSPORTATION S YSTEMS
Eight cases involving diverse weather events studied
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey (2012)
River flooding in Iowa (2011)
Intense rains, floods, and tornadoes in Tennessee (2010)
Intense rains and floods in Washington state (2007)
Tropical Storm Irene in Vermont (2011)
Severe snowstorms in Alaska (2011-2012)
Drought and Wildfires in Texas (2011)
Prolonged Heat Event in Wisconsin (2012)
F INDINGS OF THE SYNTHESIS
P UBLICATION EXPECTED M ID -J ANUARY 2014
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Reimbursement from Federal programs drives many state practices.
Interagency coordination is important.
Investments in training (e.g. in emergency management, Federal program
reimbursement, GIS, etc.) often cited as having facilitated
response/recovery.
Engaging in meetings, workshops and other structured activities to share
and document knowledge in preparation for future similar events.
Utilizing geospatial data to identify sites at risk and safe locations.
Sharing information through online platforms, such as SharePoint and
WebEOC to enable a quick response.
Developing After Action Reports and other records of effective.
Developing succession planning and record retention strategies to retain
knowledge.
Research priorities identified.
25-25 AND 08-36 C OMPLETED
E FFORTS

NCHRP 08-36/Task 107: Synthesis of State DOT and MPO Planning
and Analysis Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID
=3096

NCHRP 25-25/Task 76: Synthesis of Climate Change and
Transportation Research Efforts at State DOTs, State Universities,
and Federal Level
http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID
=3119
A DDITIONAL O NGOING 25-25
P ROJECTS

NCHRP 25-25/Task 94: Integrating Extreme Weather into
Transportation Asset Management Plans
 Project selected in October 2013.
 Report expected by April 2015.

NCHRP 25-25/Task 95: SCOE Strategic Plan and Research Plan for
SCOE Areas of Interest
 Project will include a road map for extreme weather
research.
A SSET M ANAGEMENT
CONFERENCE
A SSET M ANAGEMENT CONFERENCE :
E XTREME W EATHER T RACK
NCHRP
Est. 1962
http://www.trb.org/NCHRP