Analysis of Transportation Disruptions from Recent Flooding and Volcanic Disasters in Hawai’i

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe, analyze, and compare disruptions to the transportation system from two recent disasters in Hawai’i. While they occurred on different islands (Kaua`i and Hawai’i) and resulted from different hazards (flooding and volcanic eruption), there are important commonalities due to the disruption of surface transportation and the consequences for evacuation and emergency services as well as response and recovery. On Kaua`i, the physical impacts were fewer, with a 2 mile stretch of highway damaged by flooding and landslides as compared with 31.1 miles of roads covered by lava on Hawai`i island. Both disasters had similar population impacts, with 5,566 people impacted for Kaua`i and 5,563 for Hawai`i. Another difference is a shorter duration of disruption and a quicker restoration of transportation services for Kaua`i compared with the slower, continuous, and permanent loss of transportation services in Hawai`i. The two cases provide learning opportunities for emergency managers, transportation planners, and engineers. Both demonstrate the need for redundancy in transportation infrastructure for rescue and recovery operations. While the evacuation from a flooding event is different than from a slower-moving volcanic crisis, the importance of staging areas, route planning, alternative travel modes, and training cannot be overemphasized. These disasters focus attention on the critical role of transportation systems in response and recovery. In addition to short-term operational actions, longer-term mitigation, adaptation, and risk reduction strategies are needed to support transportation resilience.

Traffic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Statewide Analysis of Social Separation and Activity Restriction

“…Transportation planning theories, research, methods, and technologies can be incorporated into pandemic response and recovery (Baxter 2001;Berkoune et al 2012;Kim et al 2018b;Matherly et al 2014;Renne et al 2020;Zheng and Ling 2013). It is particularly useful to apply the tactics and strategies from other events that have disrupted transportation systems (Douglass et al 2014;Grayson and Noonan 2010;Hambridge et al 2017;Houston 2006;Houston et al 2009Houston et al , 2010Kim et al 2019;Kontou et al 2017;Litman 2006;Schwartz and Litman 2008;Reggiani 2013;Vasconez and Kehrli 2010;Wolshon et al 2005). There are useful lessons for managing, recovering, and restarting transportation systems (Chen and Miller-Hooks 2012).…”

Greening Roadway Infrastructure with Vetiver Grass to Support Transportation Resilience

“…Flooding and landslides closed major highways and roads networks. An automated rain gauge in Waipa on Kaua'i recorded 49.69 inches in a 24-h period ending at 12:45 p.m. on 15 April 2018 [2,15]. While there were no fatalities directly attributable to the flood disaster, their estimated public spending to respond to and recover from the disaster exceeds USD $100 million, with approximately USD $70 million spent (funded by the FHWA) on highway and roadway repairs.…”

“…In this paper, barriers, opportunities, and benefits of vetiver grass as a form of green infrastructure and hazard mitigation tool to reduce risks of flooding and erosion on transportation infrastructure are investigated. The topic is relevant to transportation planning and engineering because of the growing interest in nature-based solutions to combat extreme events due to climate change, which have increased the disruption, costs, and impacts on transportation systems [1,2]. This research is also linked to stormwater management, low-impact development, and urban planning [3][4][5][6].…”

Building Back Better: Transportation Recovery Challenges From the 2018 Kaua`i Flooding Disaster

“…The lack of access in and out of communities left residents and visitors stranded and isolated from the rest of the island. The most isolated communities were Wainiha and Hā`ena, with a combined resident population of 749 ( 1 ). The estimated resident population in the three communities of Hanalei, Wainiha, and Hā`ena is 1,199 people.…”