using highways for no-notice evacuations - FHWA Operations - U.S. ...

tuting contra flow on some roadways. All of these tactics, however,require time, effort, and, in many cases, specialized systems and resourcesto implement, and may not be available to support an evacuationimmediately following a no-notice incident. Some strategies, suchas contra flow, require three to five hours to set up, and may not be aviable option. Many jurisdictions view extreme tactics, such as contraflow, as a last resort for this specific reason. Evacuation plans need toanticipate the unavailability of certain tactics in a no-notice scenario.Requirements for implementing traffic management strategies needto be well understood and actions to minimize these issues should beconsidered.Source: FEMA/Dave Gatley.Because some traffic management tactics may take too much time toimplement in the immediate aftermath of a no-notice incident, othertactics will have to be utilized until the traffic management tactics arebrought up and running. This limitation will vary greatly, dependingon the specific tactics being considered and the circumstances of theincident that precipitates the evacuation.For all intents and purposes, traffic management tactics that requiresubstantial time or empty roads to implement are much less feasibleoptions for no-notice evacuations. Because severe time constraints areinherent in a no-notice scenario, emergency managers and transportationofficials cannot employ the tactics before evacuation traffic startsto load the transportation network.There are also instances where the actions of evacuees might interferewith transportation’s response. In some cases, individuals may initiatetheir own uncoordinated exodus before an evacuation is declared. Thiscould be especially troublesome when a phased evacuation is identifiedas the best course of action. If evacuees flood the roadways and evacuationroutes in a chaotic manner, this may lead to a further burden onan already overtaxed transportation system.SHELTERING IN PLACEDecision makers must recognize that there are situations in which thetimeframes dictated by a no-notice incident do not allow for evacuations,or that evacuations may put the affected population at greaterrisk. They must weigh the dangers of telling populations to shelter inplace against the known or unknown risks of moving in the immediateUSING HIGHWAYS FOR NO-NOTICE EVACUATIONS41