SPECIAL REPORT 290
2008
The primary focus of this report is on the consequences of climate change for the infrastructure and operations of U.S. transportation. The report provides transportation professionals with an overview of the scientific consensus on those current and future climate changes of particular relevance to U.S. transportation, including the limitations of present scientific understanding as to their precise timing, magnitude, and geographic location; identifies potential impacts on U.S. transportation and adaptation options; and offers recommendations for both research and actions that can be taken to prepare for climate change. The report also summarizes previous work on strategies for reducing transportation-related emissions of carbon dioxide (the primary greenhouse gas) that contribute to climate change, a relatively will-researched area. The primary objective of this report is to provide guidance for transportation decision makers on how best to proceed. The report is organized in six chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction. Chapter 2 reviews the current state of knowledge about climate change, including projected changes over the next century, and those factors of particular relevance to U.S. transportation. Chapter 3 is focused on the potential impacts of climate changes on transportation infrastructure. The chapter begins with an overview of the vulnerability of the infrastructure to these changes; it then examines the likely impacts of the most critical climate changes by transportation mode, reviews the handful of studies that have examined the impacts of climate change on transportation, and draws a series of findings. Chapter 4 describes how the transportation sector is organized and explains why climate change poses a difficult challenge to decision makers. It concludes with some suggestions for a more strategic, risk-based approach to investment decisions. Chapter 5 considers adaptation strategies—both engineering and operational measures, as well as changes in transportation planning and land use controls, development of new technologies, improved data and analysis tools, and organizational changes. Chapter 6 offers recommendations for policies and actions to address the impacts of climate change on transportation and for needed research.
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