Identification of Physical Transportation Infrastructure Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise

Abstract

The objective of this research was developing a methodology for assessing the potential impacts of sea level rise (SLR) on Florida's state transportation infrastructure to assist the state with transportation planning. The proposed approach integrates the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) information system, satellite imagery, local roadway and hydrologic data with existing topographical and geographical data to generate SLR projections to facilitate i) the evaluation of current and projected SLR impacts on transportation infrastructure located along Florida's coastline and low-lying terrain areas, and ii) the identification of the physical transportation infrastructure components that are vulnerable given the United States Army Corps of Engineers' scenario-based methodology to project the timing of future low, intermediate and high rates of sea level change. A detailed case study in Dania Beach, Florida and a comparative example in Punta Gorda, Florida were used to evaluate the soundness of the methodology. Further research was performed to develop a preliminary evaluation of the impact of groundwater levels as an exacerbating factor with respect to sea level rise. Storm surge with SLR is a future, more difficult area of investigation.

Sea-level rise and human migration

“…zone 145 to reduce negative SLR-related hazards that drive migration. Accommodation strategies include elevating homes and structures 55,155,156 , flood proofing 157 , managing land use, deploying flood warnings and pumps 158 , changing groundwater-extraction techniques 145 or elevating roads. Many port cities' coastal management plans already contain provisions to accommodate higher water levels 155 , such as coastal buffer zones in Ghana 159 or multi-tiered terraces in Mokpo, Korea 160 .…”

Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Roadway Flooding in the Hampton Roads Region, Virginia

“…In reality, lack of hydrologic connectivity inland may mean that those roads further inland may be protected against the coastal flooding scenarios examined in this paper. That said, the inland roads not hydrologically connected to the sea through surface water, may still be impacted by rising sea levels due to the associated rise in groundwater tables (Bloetscher 2012). The incorporation of rising groundwater levels in the surficial aquifer into the modeling of roadway flooding would be an important enhancement to the analysis as a more comprehensive picture of sea level rise effects.…”

“…LiDAR data, to identify vulnerable transportation infrastructure. Bloetscher et al (2012) studied the effect of a rising groundwater table in their flooding model. Instead of focusing on the physical infrastructure itself, Suarez et al (2005) modeled flood impacts on a transportation system's performance using lost trips and delay times as measures of disruption.…”

Assessing the Impacts of Sea Level Rise Using Existing Data

“…Prior work by the authors in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties indicated significant risk to existing and future populations due to the low lying land (50% of the urban area is under 5 ft. NAVD88-see [19] [30] [33]- [35]). Palm Beach County is located just north of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.…”