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Resilient and Sustainable Transportation Systems Technical Assistance Program

Products & Programs

• Resilience Webinar Series (December 2018)

  Resilience Webinar Series (December 2018)

  Through the month of December, AASHTO, through its Resilience and Sustainable Transportation Systems (RSTS) Technical Services Program, sponsored a five-part webinar series focused on a variety of resilience topics facing DOTs today. Webinar recordings and materials can be accessed via the links below.

  • Seismic Resilient Highways
    This webinar features Oregon's leadership in the development of seismic resilient highway corridors, and the first seismic resilient corridor, US-97. Join this webinar to learn more about the strategies Oregon has put into place to build their seismic resiliency, including the development of higher bridge standards and a prioritization plan for bridges and corridors. Presented by Matt Garrett, Oregon Department of Transportation Director
    Webinar
  • Learning from Hurricane Florence
    This webinar provides lessons learned from Hurricane Florence, a Category 4 storm that ripped through the Carolinas and caused severe flooding that was compounded by pre-existing ground saturation due to earlier summer floods. Presented by Leland Colvin, South Carolina Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Engineering
    Webinar
  • Cyber Resilience
    The transportation sector is the third most vulnerable sector to cyber-attacks. Join this webinar to learn from Colorado DOT about what DOTs should know and how they can be better prepared. Presented by Mike Lewis, Colorado Department of Transportation Executive Director
    Webinar
  • Building Organizational Resilience
    How do you create a resilient organization in the face of recurring extreme events? Join this webinar to learn how the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development addressed “hurricane fatigue” and how they continue to build organizational resilience. Presented by Shawn Wilson, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary
    Webinar
  • 2018 Transportation Resilience Innovations Summit and Exchange (RISE) Recap
    This webinar provides a closing summary of AASHTO’s RSTS Resilience Webinar Series, as well as findings and lessons learned from DOT CEOs at the first annual Transportation Resilience Innovations Summit and Exchange (RISE). Presented by Paula Hammond, WSP USA and Former Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary
    Webinar

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• Resiliency Case Studies: State DOT Lessons Learned (May 2018)

  Resiliency Case Studies: State DOT Lessons Learned (May 2018)

  This report provides lessons learned from the most impactful extreme weather events over a six year-year period and identifies how DOTs can become more resilient in anticipating and responding to future events, especially given the realities of a changing climate and the potential for changing storm patterns. The case studies describe lessons learned from the following extreme events: Vermont – Tropical Storm Irene, 2011; Louisiana – 500 and 1,000-Year Flooding Events, 2016; Colorado – Flooding and Rock Falls, 2013/2016; North Carolina – Hurricane Matthew, 2016; Georgia – Atlanta Ice Storm, 2014; Oklahoma – Moore Tornado, 2013; California – Coastal Landslides, 2017; Florida – Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew, 2016. Interview findings from these eight state DOTs and the summarized cross-cutting lessons learned are categorized into three subject areas: planning and design, policies and regulations, and emergency response. Link here

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• 2017 Extreme Weather and Climate Impacts Resiliency Peer Exchange

  2017 Extreme Weather and Climate Impacts Resiliency Peer Exchange

  This peer exchange, held in November 2017, sponsored an assembly of key DOT stakeholders to contribute to an important dialogue on resiliency and assist transportation stakeholders in resolving issues related to extreme weather and sea level rise preparedness, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The meeting also provided practitioners the opportunity to build relationships, share experiences, learn from one another, and hear about the significant work completed over the last few years (independent State DOT studies, the FHWA pilot program, and work on engineering assessments, among others). For more information and materials, link here.

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• State-by-State Interactive Map

  State-by-State Interactive Map

  This interactive map of the United States contains links to information on state DOT climate change and energy activities. Links include reports, policies, plans, and research sponsored by the designated state DOT or generated as part of a collaborative effort that involves the state DOT. Information on both greenhouse gas mitigation activities as well as climate adaptation activities is provided. View Map

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• Extreme Weather 101 Briefs

  Extreme Weather 101 Briefs

  These Extreme Weather 101 briefs provide high level information on four common extreme weather events: coastal flooding; heat waves; heavy rainfall; and drought, dust storms, and wildfire. Each one-pager includes a brief overview of the event, as well as regional trends and regional projections. They also give examples of how state DOTs and MPOs are effectively responding to these events, and provide links to additional resources for further investigation.

  • Coastal Flooding
  • Drought, Dust Storms, and Wildfire
  • Heat Waves
  • Heavy Rainfall and Flooding

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• Extreme Weather Sessions

  Extreme Weather Sessions

  As a follow-up to the 2013 Extreme Weather Events Symposium, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence (CEE), presented practitioner-focused updates on the latest research, case studies, and tools pertaining to extreme weather and climate change in 2014 and 2015.

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• Extreme Weather Events Symposium 2013

  Extreme Weather Events Symposium 2013

  On May 21-22, 2013, AASHTO held a national symposium, Impacts of Extreme Weather Events on Transportation, in Washington, D.C. The symposium was sponsored by AASHTO's Resilient and Sustainable Transportation Systems Technical Assistance Program, in coordination with the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. The symposium provided an opportunity for DOT staff from a broad range of disciplines to convene and discuss the implications of extreme weather events on transportation. The event covered state DOT case studies related to experiences with extreme weather events; an overview of trends and projections for extreme weather in the United States; costs of extreme weather events; and risk management strategies in design, operations and maintenance, and asset management, and emergency response. Link here for a white paper summary, agenda, and symposium presentations.

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• Workshop on Adapting Infrastructure to Extreme Weather Events, 5/20/12

  Workshop on Adapting Infrastructure to Extreme Weather Events, 5/20/12

  On May 20th, 2012, AASHTO hosted a 3-hour workshop titled, Adapting Infrastructure to Extreme Weather Events: Best Practices and Key Challenges. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a forum for information exchange on state transportation agencies’ past experiences and future plans for managing impacts of extreme weather events on transportation infrastructure.

  The workshop included the following presentations:

  • Caltrans Climate Change Adaptation (Rick Land, Caltrans)
  • Washington State DOT’s Vulnerability Assessment: Asking the “Climate Question” (Dave Dye, WSDOT)
  • Extreme Weather Impacts on European Networks of Transport (EWENT), (Dr. Pekka Leviäkangas, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland)
  • State and Local Infrastructure Adaptation: Lessons Learned from Across the United States (Anne Choate, ICF International)

  A webinar describing the workshop was held on June 27, 2012. Link here for webinar presentations and related materials.

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• National Climate Change Symposium (2010)

  National Climate Change Symposium (2010)

  On August 5-6, 2010, AASHTO, in coordination with the Center for Environmental Excellence, FHWA, FTA, the Climate Change Technical Assistance Program, the Environmental Technical Assistance Program, and the Standing Committee on Planning, held a Climate Change Symposium in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the symposium was to provide information, both policy-oriented and technical, to support State DOTs in their efforts to address the challenges of climate change. For webinar, presentations and symposium report link here.

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• Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Workshop, 11/17/10

  Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Workshop, 11/17/10

  This workshop was held in conjunction with the T&DI/ASCE Green Streets & Highways Conference in Denver, Colo. Held on Nov. 17, 2010, the workshop discussed strategies for public agencies to proactively and retroactively adapt infrastructure to the impacts of global climate change. The workshop’s technical focus was targeted at planners, engineers, and environmental scientists from government agencies, consulting, academia, and industry.

  • Workshop Facilitators: Rob Kafalenos, FHWA; Caroline Paulsen, AASHTO
  • Welcome and Background Information: Butch Wlaschin, FHWA
  • State DOT Case Studies: Steven Miller, Massachusetts DOT; Seth Stark, Washington State DOT; Heather Lowe, Maryland DOT; Lars Gregovich, Alaska DOT
  • Operations and Maintenance Issues: Gary McVoy, PB Americas
  • Data and Research: Rob Kafalenos, FHWA; Mike Meyer, Georgia Transportation Institute

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• State DOT Climate Change Workshops

  State DOT Climate Change Workshops

  In 2010, AASHTO sponsored climate change workshops for 10 state DOTs: Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia. In 2011, an additional 7 workshops were conducted: Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Vermont. These 17 states were selected from 30 states that applied to AASHTO for a workshop. The workshops were one full day, followed by a 1-2 hour executive session the following day. For more information and links to workshop presentations, link to State DOT Workshops.

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• Webinar Series

  Webinar Series

  These webinars, delivered February 2010 through June 2012, cover myriad relevant climate change mitigation and adaptation topics.

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