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

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key climate-related impacts are projected to affect the Southwest region, including heat waves,early snowmelt, drought, urban heat island effects, degraded air quality, wildfires, and effects onecosystems and wildlife habitats.Arizona has an extensive and expansive transportation infrastructure system, including more than6,000 miles of roads and highways, nearly a dozen commercial airports, and several majorpassenger and freight rail lines.Climate variability and extreme events, such as storms and precipitation of increased intensity,will require changing operational responses from transportation providers. While U.S.transportation providers already address the impacts of weather on transportation systemoperations in a diverse range of climatic conditions, existing planning does not take into accountlong term changes in climate. Operational changes may include adjusting maintenance (both inthe timing and type of maintenance), improved monitoring of conditions (both climatic andinfrastructure conditions), incorporating climate scenario modeling into infrastructure planning,modifying procedures for emergency management, and altering construction schedules. Ingeneral, operational changes will apply to procedural planning at varying degrees of adjustment.For example, greater use of technology, such as climate scenario modeling, can enableinfrastructure providers to monitor climate changes and receive advance warning of potentialfailures due to changing conditions (such as water levels and currents, wave action, winds, andtemperatures) exceeding what the infrastructure was designed to withstand.While transportation planning efforts do take weather conditions into account in the design ofinfrastructure, there is less examination of whether current design standards are sufficient toaccommodate climate change. For example, the increased summer temperatures and theincreased number of very hot days may result in additional highway asphalt rutting. Arizonaalready uses heat-resistant paving materials, although effects of climate change may magnify oraccelerate the need for maintenance. If climate projections indicate that the current number ofdays exceeding a certain temperature will occur more frequently, the design standards forpavement would need to be updated to consider these changing conditions. Examples of designstrategies include development and application of new, heat-resistant paving materials; greateruse of heat-tolerant street and highway landscaping; proper design/construction of milling outruts; and overlay with more rut-resistant asphalt.STUDY FINDINGSMajor summary findings from the online survey are summarized below: Climate change is affecting ADOT operations. The majority of people (56 percent ofrespondents) believe that climate change is affecting ADOT operations, and 50 percent ofrespondents believe that ADOT should have a role in planning for climate change. ADOT employees address a variety of time horizons in their jobs. When asked howfar into the future respondents look to make their decisions, 36 percent of responses were“short term” (less than one year), 35 percent were “mid term” (one to five years),23 percent were long term (more than five years), and 6 percent were “Other”. Most of the identified climate impacts are seen as relevant to employees’ jobfunctions. Respondents could choose from a list of potential climate change impacts,2
including heat effects, such as highway asphalt rutting, early snowmelt that couldincrease the risk of floods, and many others; and indicate whether each of nine impactswas relevant to performing their current job. The climate impacts that received the most“relevant” responses were:o Intense Precipitation (79 percent of responses were Relevant),o Heat (69 percent of responses were Relevant), ando Wildfires (66 percent of responses were Relevant).Respondents had a lot to say about specific climate effects and tools, data, andguidance needs. Highlights from the climate change effects question include a concernabout how particular effects, such as how heat affects humans (road workers, etc.);maintenance-related concerns such as potholes, wildfire, and precipitation effects; andindirect effects, such as financial effects.In addition to these findings, ADOT staff suggested key areas for future research, listed inTable 1 below, under the categories of updating information, interdisciplinary coordination, anddata needs and future planning.TopicUpdating Information andExisting Guidelines andSpecificationsInterdisciplinary andInteragency CoordinationData Needs and FuturePlanningTable 1. Areas for Future Research in Climate Adaptation for ADOTAreas for Future Research Update the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) floodplainmap. Create a guidebook linking climatological events, risk analysis, and economicimpact. Suggest a risk-based approach that moves beyond standard formulas. Create protocols for specific climate events because the current approach isad hoc response. Work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the design of certainfacilities. Consider ecosystem development guidelines and include the maintenancedepartment’s input to figure out the long-term impacts. Include topics such aswildlife connectivity to provide a holistic view. Involve partners that are more forward on climate change issues, such as theMaricopa Association and Governments (MAG) and the Pima Association ofGovernments (PAG), the Arizona State University (ASU) Sustainability Programand Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Enable structural engineers and people that focus on drainage to interact.Connectivity, roadside management and landscaping also are key elements thatcould be improved by better coordination. Connect with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and bringthem into ADOT’s work, especially on route planning and emergency response.This could provide access to funding as well. Start an interdisciplinary forum with regular follow-through that includes the budgetoffice in the discussion. Collect information on future climate projections on specific regions to see whathappens with temperature and seasonality and precipitation at a very local districtlevel – when do certain impacts take place and what is the magnitude? Develop scenarios for adaptation. With new Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century (MAP-21) legislation,there will be performance measures related to the long-range transportation plan(LRTP). Developing performance measures with climate impacts (mitigation oradaptation) to raise awareness and provide linkage to other work within ADOT.The study identified overarching institutional constraints and impediments to implementingclimate adaptation planning that ADOT would have to overcome to further climate adaptationwithin the agency. By initiating this preliminary study of climate adaptation for the statewide3
Page 1: Preliminary Study ofClimate Adaptat
Page 4 and 5: This report was funded in part thro
Page 7 and 8: CONTENTSEXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........
Page 9 and 10: LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1. ADOT Clima
Page 11 and 12: LIST OF ACRONYMSAASHTO ............
Page 13: ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe authors are espe
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Page 23 and 24: CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEWThis re
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When designing new infrastructure,
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Metropolitan Transportation Commiss
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REFERENCESArizona Department of Tra
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Robles, M. D. and C. Enquist. 2011.
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University Corporation for Atmosphe
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While complete reports are not yet
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adaptation program development effo
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APPENDIX C. SURVEY RESPONSES BY QUE
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Table 8. Question 2B ResponsesRespo
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Table 9. Question 4B ResponsesRespo
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Relevance of Climate ImpactsPercent
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Table 10. Question 5B Responses (Co
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Table 12. Question 7 Responses (Con
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APPENDIX D. INTERVIEW AND FOCUS GRO
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FOCUS GROUP SIGN-IN SHEETTitleElect
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esponses provided us with valuable
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4. Which departments typically mana
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Finally, if participants think of a
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