Climate Action Plans and Long-Range Transportation Plans in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Abstract

Research efforts in the past decade have produced a wealth of knowledge about the likely impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure—effects witnessed to date as well as those anticipated in coming decades—the effects of which frequently conflict in both magnitude and scope. This research summarizes the findings of the surface transportation climate change literature and explores the efforts under way in the transportation planning realm with respect to adaptive preparations of transportation infrastructure for the effects of climate change. This research focuses on transportation facilities and operations in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. This report builds on recent research on governmental climate change planning efforts to explore how agencies in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are preparing for climate change in their climate action plans, to investigate how the goals and recommendations of those plans are reflected in long-range transportation planning documents, and to identify key resources and strategies agencies may adopt to ensure that the anticipated impacts of climate change on transportation are addressed in transportation planning documents.

Adapting bridge infrastructure to climate change: institutionalizing resilience in intergovernmental transportation planning processes in the Northeastern USA

“…Research suggests that, in the absence of federal requirements for integrating adaptation into planning, both some state DOTs and regional MPOs are beginning to tackle the task on their own, particularly in areas that are seeing impacts (Gallivan et al 2009;McBeath 2003;Walker et al 2011). The absence of explicit language encouraging adaptation certainly does not prohibit organizations from interpreting mandated actions (such as increasing the safety and security of the system) to include climate-related factors.…”

“…It examined both long-range transportation plans and climate action plans, which have been developed by many cities, counties, and states. In general, the region was found to be ahead of the national trend, with almost all agencies having completed climate action plans and many touching on the idea of adaptation (Walker et al 2011). Similar to other regions, however, the long-range transportation plans tended to skip discussion of climate change entirely, focus exclusively on mitigation, or only briefly mention adaptation in a non-actionoriented context (Walker et al 2011).…”

“…In general, the region was found to be ahead of the national trend, with almost all agencies having completed climate action plans and many touching on the idea of adaptation (Walker et al 2011). Similar to other regions, however, the long-range transportation plans tended to skip discussion of climate change entirely, focus exclusively on mitigation, or only briefly mention adaptation in a non-actionoriented context (Walker et al 2011). Despite an awareness of the potential impacts of climate change, agencies did not present strategies to adapt transportation infrastructure.…”