Background Information

Transportation Asset Management (TAM) approaches have been instrumental in maintaining and improving the performance of transportation systems. Over the years, state DOTs and decision-makers have benefited from a large body of knowledge generated and disseminated by peer agencies and generated refined approaches to managing their transportation systems. However, the effects of recent changes observed in external conditions may require re-orienting the strategic goals of these TAM implementations.

Climate change is threatening the resilience of our transportation network, especially in coastal and urban areas. Rising sea levels, changes to land use, deterioration of stormwater infrastructure, and changing storm and weather patterns increase the risks associated with inundation of transportation infrastructure, bridge scours, and premature pavement failures. Rural areas can also be impacted by the lack of connectivity and relatively poor conditions of bridges in these areas.

Mobility changes in traffic patterns, the vehicle fleet, and methods to pay for the system may also have an impact on decision-making within TAM. The increasing emphasis on the use of Electric Vehicles (EV) s may result in changing loading conditions due to heavier vehicle weights and reducing the availability of funds to manage transportation infrastructure. Changing vehicle loads may accelerate deterioration of assets, not yet studied broadly within the transportation sector.

As another external condition, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in long-lasting impacts in terms of shifting travel patterns and higher demand placed on e-commerce. In some cases, services may have been reduced or eliminated requiring further assessment of how these changes in service may impact investment strategies for TAM. These changes may affect the validity of deterioration models and user cost calculation methods that are currently in use. Decision support systems for maintenance, repair, and replacement of transportation infrastructure may need major revisions in light of these changes.

In addition, consideration for the use of new methods to fund the needs of the surface transportation system through methods such as Road User Charging (RUC) or congestion pricing may influence anticipated demand for the system or distribution of travel over the same 24-hour period.

Conventional approaches to managing infrastructure may fall short in accomplishing broader goals while addressing challenges imposed by such external conditions. Therefore, there is a need for a new research effort, which will aim to conduct a nationwide scan of existing and exemplary efforts in addressing mobility and climate resilience objectives, and to develop new approaches to improving existing TAM efforts to achieve better alignment with these broader objectives.

Literature Search Summary

• NCHRP 20-83(05): Climate Change and the Highway System: Impacts and Adaptation Approaches (NCHRP Report 750, Volume 2, Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and the Highway System: Practitioner's Guide and Research Report.)
• NCHRP 08-129: Incorporating Resilience Concepts and Strategies in Transportation Planning (NCHRP Research Report 1052)
• NCHRP 15-80: Design Guide and Standards for Infrastructure Resilience
• NCHRP 23-26: Measuring Impacts and Performance of State DOT Resilience Efforts (Active Project, Start Date: 10/26/2022)
• NCHRP 23-32: Transportation Asset Risk and Resilience (Active Project, Start Date: 11/28/2023)
• NCHRP 08-36/Task 147: Strategic Mobility Research: Enhancing Mobility, Stimulating Economic Activity, Saving Lives

Objectives

The objectives of this project are:

• To identify state DOTs approach to assessing and improving mobility and climate resilience,
• To identify challenges experienced by state DOTs in improving their performance in terms of achieving mobility and climate resilience
• To develop new approaches to incorporating mobility and climate resilience considerations into transportation asset management plans (TAMPs),
• To generate guidance for aligning existing asset management efforts with these new approaches.

Keywords/Terms

Asset Management, Mobility, Climate Change, Resilience

Link to 2021-2026 AASHTO Strategic Plan

This project is in line with AASHTO Strategic Goal of providing/improving “Safety, Mobility and Access for Everyone”. Under this goal, this project aims to address the objectives of:

• Improving asset performance
• Strengthening resiliency
• Connecting community, economy, land use, and the environment

Urgency and Potential Benefits

Recent trends observed in the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather- and climate change-related issues experienced by state DOTs increased the urgency of incorporating climate resilience into TAM strategic goals. Concerns related to satisfying mobility demands and reducing user impacts further exacerbate the urgency of these issues.

This study will provide state DOTs with theoretical and practical knowledge to align their TAM efforts with the broader objectives of improving mobility and climate resilience in their regions.

Implementation Considerations

The research developed through this study will support agencies increase resilience considerations in their asset management practice. A cursory review of DOTs latest TAMPs revealed a basic incorporation of resilience considerations by agencies often noting identified threats to the system that could undermine system resilience, but lacking in tracking resilience improvements over time or methods to measure the current system resilience. This research will move toward further integrating resilience into asset management as well as decision-making.

Author(s)

Others Supporting Problem Statement

Potential Panel Members

Person Submitting Statement

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