Impacts of climate change on transportation and infrastructure : a Gulf Coast study / Iason Pavlopoulos, editor.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Pavlopoulos, Iason.

Series:

Climate change and its causes, effects, and prediction series.

Climate change and its causes, effects and prediction

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Roads--Design and construction--Climatic factors--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Roads.

Climatic changes--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Climatic changes.

Storms--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Storms.

Floods--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Floods.

Sustainable engineering--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Sustainable engineering.

Transportation--Environmental aspects--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Transportation.

Infrastructure (Economics)--Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Infrastructure (Economics).

Gulf Coast (U.S.)--Climate.

Gulf Coast (U.S.).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (357 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Nova Science Publishers, 2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Climate affects the design, construction, safety, operations, & maintenance of transportation infrastructures. The prospect of a changing climate raises critical questions regarding this issue. This book addresses these concerns for the region of the US Central Gulf Coast between Galveston, Texas & Mobile, Alabama.

Contents:

Intro

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE A GULF COAST STUDY

CONTENTS

PREFACE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY∗

ABSTRACT

THE GULF COAST STUDY AREA

Physical and Natural Environment

The Gulf Coast Transportation Network

THE GULF COAST CLIMATE IS CHANGING

CLIMATE CHANGE HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR GULF COAST TRANSPORTATION

CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS NEED TO BE INCORPORATED IN TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS

Transportation Planning Processes

New Approaches to Incorporate Climate Information

Adaptation Strategies

FUTURE RESEARCH WOULD BENEFIT DECISION MAKERS

Chapter 1 WHY STUDY CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TRANSPORTATION?

1.1. THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING

1.2. HOW WILL CHANGES IN CLIMATE AFFECT TRANSPORTATION?

1.2.1. What Are the Challenges to Research?

1.3. STATE OF SCIENCE REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON TRANSPORTATION

1.3.1. Overview of State of Practice

1.3.2. Major Sponsors Conducting Related Research

1.3.3. State of Technical Analysis

1.3.4. Impacts, Assessment, and Adaptation

1.3.5. Direct Climate Impacts on Transportation Addressed in Existing Literature

Increasing Temperatures

Increasing Precipitation

Rising Sea Levels

Changes in Storm Activity

1.3.6. Indirect Climate Impacts on Transportation Addressed in Existing Literature

Economic

Environmental

Demographic

Security

1.3.7. Decision Making Processes and Tools

Institutional Changes

Uncertainty and Probability

Approaches to Risk Analysis and Impact Assessment

1.4. CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM CURRENT LITERATURE ON THE STATE OF RESEARCH

1.5. GULF COAST STUDY SELECTION, OBJECTIVES, AND ORGANIZATION

1.5.1. Study Selection

1.5.2. Gulf Coast Study Objectives and Three Phases.

1.5.3. Study Organization and Oversight

1.5.4. Characterizing Uncertainty

1.6. SOURCES

1.6.1. References

1.6.2. Background Sources

Chapter 2 WHY STUDY THE GULF COAST?

2.1. OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY REGION

2.1.1. Regional and National Significance

2.1.2. Study Area Boundaries

2.1.3. Structure of This Chapter

2.2. THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN THE GULF COAST REGION

2.2.1. Overview of the Intermodal Transportation System in the Gulf Coast Region

Passenger Travel

Freight Transport

Intermodal Facilities

Emergency Management

2.2.2. Modal Characteristics

Highways

Highway Network and Usage

Intermodal Connectors

Bridges

Other Facilities

Transit

Fixed Guideway (Light Rail)

Fixed-Route Buses

Paratransit

Rail

Freight Rail

Passenger Rail

Marine Facilities and Waterways

Freight Handling Ports and Waterways

Waterborne Freight Types and Volumes

Key Commodities and Industries

Nonfreight Marine Facilities

Aviation

Pipelines

2.3. GULF COAST PHYSICAL SETTING AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

2.3.1. Geomorphology

2.3.2. Current Elevation and Subsidence

2.3.3. Sediment Erosion, Accretion, and Transport

2.3.4. Land Use and Land Cover

2.4. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SETTING

2.4.1. Population and Development Trends

2.4.2. Employment, Businesses, and Economic Drivers

2.4.3. Societal Vulnerability

2.5. CONCLUSION

2.6. SOURCES

2.6.1. References

2.6.2. Background Sources

End Notes

Chapter 3 HOW IS THE GULF COAST CLIMATE CHANGING?

Intended Use of Climate and Emissions Scenarios in the Context of This Report

3.1. TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND RUNOFF

3.1.1. Historical Data Sources

3.1.2. General Circulation Model Applications for the Study Area

3.1.3. Water-Balance Model

3.1.4. Temperature and Runoff Trends.

3.1.5. General Circulation Model Results and Future Climate Scenarios

3.1.6. Changes in Daily Temperature

3.1.7. Changes in Specific Temperature Maxima Affecting Transportation

3.1.8. Increasing Daily Precipitation Extremes

3.2. HURRICANES AND LESS INTENSE TROPICAL STORMS

3.2.1. Assessing Trends in Historical Hurricane Frequency and Intensity

3.2.2. Gulf Coast Hurricane History

3.2.3. HURASIM: Model Application

3.2.4. Historical Storm Frequency Across the Northern Gulf Coast Study Region

3.2.5. Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Hurricane Landfall

3.2.6. Patterns of Hurricane Wind Direction

3.2.7. Modeling Climate Change Effects on Tropical Cyclones into the 21st Century

3.3. SEA LEVEL RISE AND SUBSIDENCE

3.3.1. Historical and Projected Global Sea Level Trends

3.3.2. Tide Records, Sea Level Trends, and Subsidence Rates along the Central Gulf Coast

3.3.3. Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the Central Gulf Coast Region

3.4. STORM SURGE

3.4.1. Predicting Storm Surge with the SLOSH Model

3.4.2. Future Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Height

3.5. OTHER ASPECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR GULF COAST TRANSPORTATION

3.5.1. Wind and Wave Regime

3.5.2. Humidity and Cloudiness

3.5.3. Convective Activity

3.6. CONCLUSION

3.7. REFERENCES

Chapter 4 WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY FOR GULF COAST TRANSPORTATION?

4.1. CLIMATE DRIVERS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

4.1.1. Effects of Warming Temperatures

4.1.2. Effects of Precipitation Levels and Patterns

Precipitation and Runoff

4.1.3. Relative Sea Level Rise

Background

Impact on Transportation

4.1.4. Storm Activity

4.1.5. Climate Impacts on Freight Transport

4.2. CLIMATE IMPACTS ON TRANSPORTATION MODES

4.2.1. Highways

Temperature

Precipitation.

Relative Sea Level Rise

Storm Activity

Surge Wave Crests and Effects on Bridges

Surge Inundation

Wind

4.2.2. Transit

Precipitation

Relative Sea Level Rise

Storm Winds

Storm Waves

4.2.3. Freight and Passenger Rail

Railroad Response to Hurricane Damage

4.2.4. Marine Facilities and Waterways

Higher Temperatures

Storm Activity: Water and Wind Damage

Secondary Impacts

4.2.5. Aviation

Runway Design and Utilization

General Aviation

Commercial Service Airports

Temperature Conclusions

4.2.6. Pipelines

Importance of Pipeline Operations in the Study Area

Precipitation Changes

Storm Impact Preparation, Mitigation, and Response

Hurricane Damage Studies

Storm Activity: Erosion

Storm Activity: Increased Storm Severity

4.2.7. Implications for Transportation Emergency Management

Other Considerations Affecting the Success of Emergency Management

Adapting Emergency Management Plans

Interdependent Communications Infrastructure

Traffic Management

Critical Care Facilities and Shelters for Those with Special Needs

Local Development Policies

Fiscal Impacts

4.3. IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION: CASE EXAMPLES IN THE STUDY REGION

4.3.1. Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on Transportation Infrastructure

Roads

Ports

Airports

4.3.2. Evacuation during Hurricane Rita

4.3.3. Elevating Louisiana Highway 1

4.4. CONCLUSION

Data and Research Opportunities

4.5. SOURCES

4.5.1. References

End Notes.

Chapter 5 HOW CAN TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS INCORPORATE CLIMATE CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS?

5.1. CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE IN LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND INVESTMENT

5.1.1. Overview of the Surface Transportation Planning and Investment Processes

The Federal Surface Transportation Planning Process

Coordination in Transportation Planning

5.1.2. Current State of Practice in Incorporating Climate Change Considerations

State and Metropolitan Planning Organization Plans and Planning Activities

Site Interviews with Transportation Representatives in the Gulf Coast Region

5.1.3. Challenges and Opportunities to Integrating Climate Information

Timeframes

Land Use

Institutional Arrangements

A New Approach

5.2. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON TRANSPORTATION

5.2.1. Factors of Concern: Exposure, Vulnerability, Resilience, and Adaptation

5.2.2. Framework for Assessing Local Climate Change Impacts on Transportation

Needed Data

Outcomes

Making Use of Risk Assessment in Transportation Decisions

5.3. CONCLUSION

5.4. SOURCES

5.4.1. References

5.4.2. Background Sources

Chapter 6 WHAT ARE THE KEY CONCLUSIONS OF THIS STUDY?

6.1. TRENDS IN CLIMATE AND COASTAL CHANGE

6.2. TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS

6.3. IMPLICATIONS FOR PLANNING

6.4. FUTURE NEEDS

6.5. REFERENCES

Appendix A GULF COAST STUDY GIS DATASETS

Appendix B ADDITIONAL DATA ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SETTING

Appendix C ADDITIONAL RAIL DATA

Appendix D WATER BALANCE MODEL PROCEDURES

REFERENCES

Appendix E HURASIM MODEL DESCRIPTION

Appendix F PROJECTING FUTURE SEA LEVEL RISE WITH THE SLRRP MODEL

LIST OF SELECTED ACRONYMS

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Accretion

Adaptation

Adaptation Assessment

Adaptation Benefits

Adaptation Costs.

Adaptive Capacity.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-61470-071-0

OCLC:

768111293