addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAsSANDAG also notes that there are some climate impacts that could lead toincreased and more frequent maintenance costs, premature deterioration, or eventhe failure of transportation infrastructure in the region. A brief note aboutadaptation includes discussing existing fortifications that may need enhancementas sea levels rise and storm surges intensify.Finally, SANDAG does note that there are tools and methodologies forevaluating and adapting to such climate change impacts but they are still in theearly stages of development and will require ongoing monitoring. In theRTP/SCS, SANDAG compiles a list of 31 action items that will be use toimplement the SCS by year 2050. One of the action items acknowledges climateadaptation: “To the extent possible, address climate adaptation issues in thedesign of new projects, and when improvements are made to existinginfrastructure.” The action is proposed for SANDAG, Caltrans and localjurisdictions.Promising Examples from Other MPOs/RTPAsOutside of the four large MPOs, other MPOs and RTPAs are beginning to takenote of climate adaptation and exploring ways to incorporate it in planningprocesses in coordination with local county hazard mitigation planningprocesses, through research conducted at a local university, or explorationthrough existing extreme weather effects already impacting regionaltransportation assets. Summaries from interviews with six leadingMPOs/RTPAs can be found in Appendix B. This section also provides someexamples of nascent climate adaptation activity that will likely evolve in theupcoming RTP cycles.The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) hasrecently embarked on an effort to analyze potential environmental impactsand benefits of beach nourishment with opportunistic sand placements.Coastal impacts associated with sea-level rise are widespread and diverse.Impacts of concern for the Monterey Bay region include: increased coastalerosion, coastal inundation, storm and wave damage, and salt waterintrusion. To lessen the effects, the Southern Monterey Bay Coastal SedimentManagement Plan, developed in 2008, was the first coastal regional sedimentmanagement plan completed in California.The plan compiled the best existing information on coastal processes, erosionrates and geomorphology. It identified sources of sediment that could beused in nourishment projects to reduce erosion hazards and evaluated thetraditional costs and benefits of various scales of nourishment projects,including the potential recreational benefits. The plan also evaluated some ofthe regulatory and permitting frameworks involved in managing sedimentwithin southern Monterey Bay.The Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG) staff took part in a regionalclimate change adaptation assessment conducted by the Local Government6-4 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAsCommission (LGC) to develop recommendations for Fresno County. Aworkshop and technical report convened and completed in 2010 describedthe effects of climate change on the regional transportation system includingthe main transportation routes in the Valley at greatest risk, given theirlocation downstream of reservoirs or adjacent to the County’s rivers.The report noted that increasingly severe extreme heat events can causedamage to existing roadways and railways (e.g., by increases in so-called“blowups” – sudden faulting of concrete slabs). It also described howwildfires in the past had led to closures of important evacuation routes (e.g.,Highway 168 in the Big Creek Wildland fire in 1994), and that there is a riskof increased fires in the future due to climate change. Major themes includedthe need for emergency response and repair.The Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) is preparedto incorporate climate change in the upcoming RTP with discussions alreadyforming around climate change mitigation and a high likelihood that climateadaptation will also emerge as a key issue.The County is already looking for ways to protect coastal communities onHumboldt Bay threatened by rising sea levels and aging dikes. In October2012, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved an applicationfor a Coastal Conservancy grant to allow the nonprofit Coastal EcosystemsInstitute of Northern California to adapt planning and technical studiesassociated with sea-level rise in Humboldt Bay.The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) hasexperienced a movement of various stakeholders building local capacity forconsidering climate change adaptation. For example, the University of SantaBarbara’s Ocean and Coastal Policy Center published Developing AdaptivePolicy to Climate Disturbance in Santa Barbara County in 2009. The Center alsoformed a committee to focus on wetland recovery in the Goleta Slough nearthe airport. The adaptation study was driven by the desire to identifyspecific facilities at risk in the Goleta Slough.The Shasta County Regional Transportation Planning Agency (SCRTPA)supported Shasta County in completing a local hazard mitigation plan in2011, called the Shasta County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.SCRTPA was well aware that information developed for the local hazardmitigation plan was a starting point for understanding impacts that could beexacerbated by climate change.The purpose of hazard mitigation is to implement and sustain actions thatreduce vulnerability and risk from hazards, or reduce the severity of theeffects of hazards on people and property. Concepts such as risk,vulnerability, and resiliency are common to both hazard mitigation, as wellas climate adaptation.Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 6-5
Page 1:
Addressing Climate Change Adaptatio
Page 7:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15:
Page 20 and 21: Addressing Climate Change Adaptatio
Page 47: Addressing Climate Change Adaptatio
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153:
Page 157:
appendix b reportState-of-the-Pract
Page 161 and 162:
State-of-the-Practice Climate Chang
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181:
Page 185 and 186:
C A L I F O R N I AADAPTATIONPLANNI
Page 188 and 189:
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Page 190 and 191:
Adaptation Planning Guide - Advisor
Page 192 and 193:
List of Tables (cont’d.)Table 6.
Page 194 and 195:
Climate Impact RegionsThe APG is or
Page 196 and 197:
APGSTART HERE:PLANNING FOR ADAPTIVE
Page 198 and 199:
What are the designated climate imp
Page 200 and 201:
CA Climate Adaptation Planning Guid
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
• Selected Demographic Data. Sele
Page 208 and 209:
Cal-Adapt ProjectionsTable 1. Summa
Page 210 and 211:
Selected Infrastructure and Regiona
Page 212 and 213:
illnesses due to air pollution resu
Page 214 and 215:
Additional Resources• Sea level r
Page 216 and 217:
Cal-Adapt ProjectionsTable 5. Summa
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
frequency can harm forests. Large i
Page 222 and 223:
Bay Area RegionCounties: Alameda, C
Page 224 and 225:
the Sacramento and San Joaquin rive
Page 226 and 227:
Table 12. Selected Population Data
Page 228 and 229:
Sea level rise is also expected to
Page 230 and 231:
Additional Resources• Public Heal
Page 232 and 233:
Cal-Adapt ProjectionsTable 13. Summ
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Table 16. Selected Population Data
Page 238 and 239:
As with crops, climate change impac
Page 240 and 241:
Additional Resources• Wildfire Re
Page 242 and 243:
elevations, increased static levee
Page 244 and 245:
The ecosystem functions of the Delt
Page 246 and 247:
Setting and HistoryThe California D
Page 248 and 249:
The islands in the lower Bay-Delta
Page 250 and 251:
Some of the questions that should b
Page 252 and 253:
Southern Central Valley RegionCount
Page 254 and 255:
Biophysical CharacteristicsThe west
Page 256 and 257:
The crops produced are varied and i
Page 258 and 259:
Communities in this region should e
Page 260 and 261:
Page 262 and 263:
Page 264 and 265:
have the resources to prepare for,
Page 266 and 267:
Additional Resources• Sea Level R
Page 268 and 269:
Page 270 and 271:
Page 272 and 273:
Timber practices have also had ecos
Page 274 and 275:
Southeast Sierra RegionCounties: Al
Page 276 and 277:
Biophysical CharacteristicsThe sout
Page 278 and 279:
ultimately result in reduced water
Page 280 and 281:
Page 282 and 283:
Page 284 and 285:
particular concern are populations
Page 286 and 287:
Additional Resources• Sea Level R
Page 288 and 289:
Page 290 and 291:
Page 292 and 293:
industry around Big Bear. As there
Page 294 and 295:
California Natural Resources Agency
show all

addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?