Examining the Effects of Transportation Governance on Infrastructure Adaptation to Climate Change

Climate Change Clearinghouse2015PDFTech ReportZia, AsimKoliba, ChristopherSchulz, AnnaUniversity of Vermont. Transportation Research CenterVermont. Agency of TransportationUniversity of Vermont. Transportation Research CenterVermontUnited StatesInfrastructureClimate changeLiterature reviewsResearch projectsTransportation departmentsResearch HubEnvironmentPlanning and ForecastingTransportation (General)I15: EnvironmentI72: Traffic and Transport PlanningTRC Report # 13-009Transportation agencies across the United States are faced with the challenge of effectively adapting infrastructure to withstand the predicted effects of climate change. This challenge is magnified by a nationwide funding shortage, uncertainty about impacts, and a limited (but growing) body of information regarding best practices. The literature on transportation infrastructure adaptation is weak in terms of strategies for undertaking improved planning. The work presented here seeks to help fill that gap. This report discusses research efforts and presents findings regarding the influence of transportation governance structures and mechanisms on infrastructure adaptation to climate change. This work is a continuation of research that began in 2009 as part of our ongoing efforts in climate change resiliency through the Research on Adaptation to Climate Change (RACC) project. Several different research topics and methodologies have contributed to the results. Due to the varied nature of the research undertaken on this subject, this report is organized by specific projects and papers. While some have a fairly unique focus, others share a significant amount of overlap. The interdisciplinary nature of this research aligns well with the complex system spire's emphasis on social complexity, and it also is well aligned with the UVM TRC's focus on network resiliency, adaptive governance, and climate change. Over the past two years, our work on this subject, with the support of the UVM TRC, has resulted in the creation of one database, five papers in various stages of acceptance and/or review at peer-reviewed journals, one grant proposal, and two conference presentations (at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board and the 2015 Conference of the American Society for Public Administration).109