SPR-696: Preliminary Study of Climate Adaptation for the Statewide ...

General Overview Questions – Warm Up (10 minutes)1. In the on-line survey questionnaire which you filled out, we asked respondents abouttheir perspectives on climate change. Do you think that climate change is affecting thedesert southwest? If so, how?2. How important is it for ADOT to prepare for future impacts of climate change?Relevant Guidelines and Standards Related to Heat Impacts (20 minutes)Let’s walk through the heat impacts that we developed from the climate impacts matrix.1. What are the impacts that you see in Arizona. Discuss any specification or guidelines thatcurrently deal with extreme weather (heat, drought, etc). Can you foresee the changing ofany design or operational thresholds based on changing temperature?Process of Climate Adaptation at ADOT (20 minutes)2. Could you provide an example of how ADOT has implemented an agency-wide effort(e.g., internal strategic plan, etc.)? What steps were involved?3. What might persuade you or encourage you to plan for climate adaptation within yourcurrent work processes? Are there any existing barriers that would dissuade you fromplanning for climate adaptation?Potential Tools, Resources and Areas for Further Research (10 minutes)1. Are there any recent agency-wide events or information the project team should be awareof that could affect an internal ADOT effort to discuss and begin to incorporate the topicof climate change into the agency’s work?2. What forums are available within ADOT for voicing concern about topics, such asclimate change or for suggesting changes to departmental procedures?3. This is a preliminary study that outlines future research needs and areas of exploration.What are the areas within your area of expertise where you think there should be moreresearch, knowledge dissemination, or awareness within ADOT?Finally, if participants think of additional information that would be helpful to this process, theywill be given an opportunity to e-mail Cambridge Systematics for a designated period of timefollowing the focus groups, most likely one to two weeks.1B: Climate Impact Focus on Intense Precipitation, Snowmelt, Late-Season Snowpack, (andpossibly Wildfires, Air Quality and Wildlife Habitat Loss)The purpose of this research effort is to help ADOT become more resilient, flexible, andresponsive to climate change effects. To date, we have completed the first two steps of ourresearch process. Step 1 was a review of the current literature relating to climate change effectson the transportation system, tailored to Arizona’s climate region. Our second step, in whichmany of you participated, included the administration of an on-line survey questionnaire. Wesent this questionnaire to ADOT staff and received 300 survey responses. The questionnaire94