addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAs6.0 Where Has this Been Done?California-Specific Examples6.1 CURRENT RTPS CONSIDERING CLIMATE IMPACTSAlthough MPOs in California are all required to consider the reduction ofgreenhouse gas emissions in their RTPs, there is no requirement to date toincorporating climate change in adaptation planning. Despite this, there hasbeen some discussion as part of the RTP process for the four large MPOs inCalifornia, and burgeoning activity alongside the RTP process throughuniversity activity, nascent discussion, or hazard mitigation for a handful ofsmaller MPOs/RTPAs.RTP Integration at the Four Large MPOsFor background, this section summarizes the most up-to-date discussion (as ofwriting) on climate impacts and adaptation from the four largest MPOs inCalifornia – the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), theSacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), the Southern CaliforniaAssociation of Governments (SCAG) and the San Diego Association ofGovernments (SANDAG). Although this guide is focused on smaller MPOs andRTPAs, the activities taking place at the four large MPOs help establish thecurrent state-of-the-practice in California.Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)On April 22, 2009, the MTC adopted the Transportation 2035 Plan for the SanFrancisco Bay Area, which specifies how some $218 billion in anticipated federal,state and local transportation funds will be spent in the nine-county Bay Areaduring the next 25 years. Transportation 2035 only briefly mentions climateimpacts by noting how the Bay Area will experience a greater number ofextreme-heat days, increased wildfire risk, a shrinking Sierra snowpack thatwould threaten the State’s water supply, and a rise in sea level (which wouldthreaten the transportation infrastructure concentrated near the shoreline of theBay). However, it does provide reference to a parallel study on sea-level rise,Adapting to Rising Tides: Transportation Vulnerability and Risk Assessment PilotProject, completed in November 2011, and references a preliminary assessmentfor that study shown in Figure 6.1.Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 6-1