addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAs9.0 Module 2a: Assemble AssetInventory and ScreenCriticality9.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YOUR ASSETSAdaptation planning focuses on the ability of assets and operations to performeffectively and withstand harm and deterioration in the face of future chronic oracute extreme weather events. Module 2a provides guidance to help MPOs andRTPAs of various sizes and capacities in the assembly and formatting of data tosupport vulnerability and risk assessments at the system level, and, ifappropriate, to identify specific vulnerable assets for detailed design,engineering, and operational evaluation.At its most basic level, a climate change vulnerability and risk assessmentrequires two categories of information: estimations of potential future climateconditions and multidimensional information on the transportationinfrastructure and facilities anticipated to be in service during the assessmenttimeframe (this will include a substantial selection of current assets, as well asprogrammed or planned projects). Although climate data is typically generatedby scientists and technical experts, the compilation of data on transportationassets is within the collective purview of a variety of federal, state, regional,subregional, and local entities charged with system funding, ownership,operations, and planning.Developing a comprehensive inventory of assets, especially for a systemwide,multimodal assessment of vulnerability and risk, can be a challenging endeavor –in many cases, data insufficiency will necessitate the use of assumptions, rules ofthumb, and/or alternative assessment approaches. The point of the assetinventory exercise is not to develop a perfect data set (an impossible task) butrather to ensure that the best (most appropriate, relevant, and reasonablyobtainable)data is leveraged for subsequent tasks.Figure 9.1 provides a step-by-step guide for conducting an asset inventory and isdescribed in greater detail throughout the text.Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 9-1