Response to Extreme Weather Impacts on Transportation Systems (2014) / Chapter Skim
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From page 64... ...
64 CHAPTER THREE SYNTHESIS OF CASE EXAMPLE ELEMENTS INTRODUCTION The case examples in chapter two organize each state DOT's responses to extreme weather impacts based on operations, assets, and mission-support activities. Specifically, these groupings cover key functional areas (Operations, Maintenance, Design, Construction, and Planning and Related Activities)
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From page 65... ...
65 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Operations: Prior development of "storm kits" and requirement that crews bring them along on assessments, including the information needed to substantiate federal reimbursement claims, such as photos and the exact location of damage sites New Jersey Creating a job code when state Emergency Operations Center increased alert from Level 1 to 2 to get an early start on substantiating federal reimbursement New Jersey Creating the job code before damage was incurred and benefitting from retroactive Presidential disaster declaration, capturing prior activity under that code New Jersey Setting a well-understood, target time frame (Christmas time) for state DOT departure from recovery area New Jersey After the state EM was stood up, putting in place an internal flood management team and using group phone calls for cohesion Iowa Utilization of webinar uplink on group calls, for maps, etc.
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From page 66... ...
66 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Operations: • Managing the transition from response to recovery (while the response is ongoing) – Establishing a separate working group that begins work on recovery early in the event while others manage the flood response – Requesting advice from contractors' associations about how the agency can work more effectively with contractors in initiating a prompt and effective recovery effort – Avoiding seeking the "perfect" solution when preparing designs for emergency repairs.
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From page 67... ...
67 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Operations: Identifying and utilizing a short, set list of objectives for the recovery effort Vermont Having awareness of employee attitudes and their basic necessities Vermont Improving alignment of FHWA information in its DDIR with the FEMA PA PW format Vermont Pursuing rulings on issues of first impression with the federal government (e.g., FHWA and National Guard costs) Vermont Training and provision of designated technical assistance to localities attempting to seek federal reimbursement Vermont Providing technical assistance to policy makers exploring changes to state cost sharing where localities that cannot afford to repair damage to transportation system, changes to federal program cost sharing where state cannot afford repairs to transportation system, or other approaches Vermont Ensuring demobilization of ICS is defined, described (including the social after effects of event)
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From page 68... ...
68 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Operations: Supporting the statewide emergency response to wildfires by: • Supplying fuel and water • Supplying traffic control • Supplying sign trailers and other signage, website information, and other information for the public • Creating firebreaks in part by supplying heavy equipment, such as graders and bulldozers, and employees to use them • Permitting counties' access to state rights-of-way for posting burn ban signs • Issuing emergency utility permits Texas Leveraging fuel vehicles used for hurricane evacuation and re-entry to support local volunteer fire departments in fighting catastrophic fires Texas Weighing the administrative and opportunity costs of seeking federal reimbursement for support to counties and other state agencies, with the benefit received Texas Challenging FHWA on issues of first impression, including attempting reimbursement from FHWA for damage from wildfire for scenarios that have not been requested before but may become routine under increased wildfires -- for example, payment for removal of scorched trees that may fall onto roadway Texas Activating the state DOT's Adverse Conditions Communications Plan, developed for snow and ice events, to address heat-buckling risk during prolonged heat events Wisconsin Monitoring for impacts of an unusual weather event, leveraging prior experience Wisconsin Identifying and marking the location of each impacted site using Google Maps and maintaining the map as an internal resource Wisconsin Ensuring county maintenance crews are ready Wisconsin Providing hourly updates to management Wisconsin Asking the county partner to create a job code and to document the exact location of an event Wisconsin Using knowledge of federal programs to determine whether to pursue FHWA or FEMA reimbursement Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Maintenance: Deciding to have separate sites for debris and sand removed from streets in order to clean and reuse the sand New Jersey Addressing sinkhole-related issues regarding their proper assessment and the most appropriate traffic control measures at the local level New Jersey Conducting preparedness activities before a controlled release of water from dams, including checking for blocked culverts, defining the disaster responses staging areas, and deploying ITS, such as traffic cameras that could provide a view of inundated roads Iowa Managing tornadoes occurring during larger storm as (1) an employee safety issue and (2)
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From page 69... ...
69 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Maintenance: Ensuring primary message to employees that the state DOT involved in supporting wildfire control are not firemen Texas In fire situations, allowing only state DOT employees to use state DOT equipment Texas Ensuring employee preparedness and safety through the acquisition and pre-positioning of two response trailers with protective gear where local crews can receive briefings on wildfire characteristics and shelter deployment training Texas Discussing drought issues in maintenance workshops Texas Patrolling for road cracks and other pavement degradation from drought Texas Identifying and communicating the best time frame within a day for acting on heat buckling Wisconsin Using temporary patch to quickly address heat-buckling incident and keep traffic moving, and returning for specific patching or during routine maintenance Wisconsin Providing crews with set of equipment needed, including traffic control (drums, arrowboards, crash cushions) and cold patch kits Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Design: At the location of the major, now iconic, barrier island breach, the decision to rebuild transportation infrastructure back to original design and pre-disaster appearance under a fixed and aggressive time frame New Jersey To rebuild 4 miles of a washed-out interstate, starting the design process before water levels had fallen and adopting a design-build approach, given the availability of the original plans Iowa Leveraging the FHWA "betterment" option to build a more resilient replacement structure Tennessee Considering the impacts of increased detours on secondary roads -- for example, slope stability -- and considering these in design of roads and detours Washington Developing new design criteria in order to meet projected risks -- for example, bridge height for flooding, use of riprap Vermont Using existing data sets -- for example, route logs -- to support design process in emergency response scenario Vermont Simplifying the design plan process Vermont Considering the more severe storms and unpredictable weather that is expected and their implications on design -- for example, the effects of the freeze–thaw cycle Alaska Determining the possible causes of road degradation under drought in order to assess the most appropriate response, through materials design or landscape approaches Texas Studying the needs for design changes owing to projections of continued and increased heat events, starting with urban pavement Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Construction: Fully repairing key areas using emergency contractors and working with the planning side of the house for on-call design contracts New Jersey Rebuilding 4 miles of a washed-out interstate, using predetermined contract rates, incentive clauses, and contracted inspection services Iowa Acceleration of the drafting and letting of contracts for repair work so that repairs could begin as soon as inspections were completed Tennessee Ensuring all relevant units were working with FHWA as contracts and the formal letter of intent to request Emergency Relief funds were developed Tennessee Giving consideration to developing "off-the-shelf" contractual terms for emergency situations Tennessee Posting of the contracts let under exigent circumstances on website for transparency Tennessee Enabling shifts in construction schedules to accommodate new priorities Vermont Adopting an approach to rebuilding that completely closes a road or bridge for safer and faster construction, rather than choosing a partial closure (that maintains access during construction)
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From page 70... ...
70 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Construction: Taking advantage of change management after an extreme weather event to mainstream new construction practices -- for example, by developing an Accelerated Bridge Construction program initiative, staggering its implementation, and providing metrics for success Vermont Supporting the burial of utility lines to avoid downed utility poles on the highway right-of-way Alaska Enlisting in-house and external resources to collect and record existing effective practices as well as emerging stressors, such as increased highway degradation from energy development Texas Using the Construction Division's research arm to understand how agency assets and materials are performing under certain kinds of extreme weather events Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices by mission-related functions Planning: Developing $2 billion in resiliency projects and making strategic choices about building back the right infrastructure, as informed by prior climate change planning funded by FHWA New Jersey Using lead time before waters rose to develop flood mitigation projects, as identified through use of GIS and LIDAR Iowa After road closures are made for safety, using planner expertise to determine, then communicate, the impact of road closures Iowa Developing an Emergency Transportation Operations plan with the Iowa State Patrol Iowa Using associations, such as I-95 Coalition, to find ways to improve interstate coordination under an extreme weather event Tennessee Supplying training in GIS for freight rerouting, using the resources of the I-95 Coalition Tennessee Linking to and supporting information transfer to climate-change vulnerability assessments and related planning efforts Washington Preparing for growth in program and responsibilities, given increased awareness of extreme weather Washington Creating an Emergency Response Plan, including the express identification of the role of nongovernmental resources, such as the Regional Planning Committees set up under federal transportation laws Vermont Developing training and related content to educate employees to better address flooding events, including general ICS awareness, instruction in river management, and in-depth technical training for engineers Vermont Articulating a holistic, watershed-based approach to siting and building transportation infrastructure Vermont Staying current on climate projections from the NOAA-funded entity intended to provide decision support for state and local entities and providing briefings on state needs under more unpredictable weather Alaska Using snow and climate projections as a basis for seeking increased space for snow dumps, while addressing related environmental issues Alaska Researching and drafting a document outlining emerging practices in winter highway maintenance, noting that one impetus for the document is the more unpredictable weather expected Alaska Participating in state's Drought Preparedness Council Texas Ensuring employees have both FEMA training and a clear understanding of the state DOT's supporting role in wildfire control Texas Configuring the state DOT's MDSS, which is geared toward certain weather events (winter storms) to also help forecast newly emerging extreme weather impact (heat buckling)
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From page 71... ...
71 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices, by crosscutting functions Communications: Identifying notable communications practices, such as: – Considering the early engagement of DOT divisions or offices that may assist in the flood response, including front-line support services that handle equipment, signs, purchasing, and traffic and safety, as well as research and technology – Establishing a core group that expands, as needed, with the staff required to address the issues at hand that day – Engaging neighboring states immediately if it appears that a regional detour will be required – Ensuring that all communication with regard to regional or local detours is provided in a timely manner – Setting a goal and purpose for project team meetings – Carefully structuring meeting agendas to move from general information sharing to more detailed discussions – Establishing consensus on the nature and extent of the public message and ensuring delivery of a consistent message – Designating one individual within the DOT as the party responsible for managing information flow – Implementing a policy that identifies the agency's philosophy with regard to detours -- regional or localized -- and that describes how information about detours will be disseminated – Clarifying the DOT's position on the primacy of the state's 511 site as the main source for traveler information – Instituting regular prompting to those contributing information to an event-specific website to ensure that the site's information is accurate and current • Evaluating the need for a call center to respond to public inquiries, taking into consideration the extent and nature of an event and available resources. • Siting the call center team in one room with a cubicle designed to enhance privacy.
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From page 72... ...
72 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices, by crosscutting functions Communications: Working with the state EOC to determine proper messaging for state DOT dynamic messaging signs in wildfire areas Texas Supporting knowledge transfer by providing technical comments to state legislature draft documents Texas Use of 511 system to provide online updates of road conditions derived from Google Maps Wisconsin Use of Twitter for cautionary messages and incident alerts Wisconsin Use of press release and interviews to convey the following: risk of a road safety issue (heat buckling) is high for a defined period; the technical reasons for the problem; the number of buckling incidents and how long it takes crews to fix them; coordination with counties; randomness of the incidents; the need for the public to be prepared; and safety tips Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices, by crosscutting functions Interagency Coordination: Coordinating with the state police on common communication devices, P25 digital radios New Jersey Where state DOT and power companies have conflicting missions and therefore challenges on the ground, reinforcing safety issues and complying with power company rules when power lines cross a roadway during recovery from an extreme weather event New Jersey Resolving local traffic control issues by constructing out what appeared to be permanent traffic control changes on a temporary basis New Jersey Including FHWA on the team from the start Iowa Coordinating with multiple state and federal agencies, including other states, through daily webinars and briefings by other agencies, such as NWS and the U.S.
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From page 73... ...
73 Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices, by crosscutting functions Interagency Coordination: Assigning or dedicating a state attorney to federal program reimbursement, and other emergency response issues Vermont Facilitating the deployment of the National Guard by waiving substantial transportation fees for the long trip necessitated by the closure of airport at disaster declaration site Alaska Working with FAA to secure a waiver allowing use of FAA airport equipment off site to clear the state highway leading to the airport and ensure airport access Alaska Supporting state DOT employees assigned to city emergency operations team, with effort paid for through preexisting reimbursable agreement Alaska Working with FHWA early on, in estimating costs of repairs from wildfires to expedite approvals for reimbursement Texas Using collaboration tool such as Daily Activity Reports and SharePoint to collect data on events Texas Reliance on county crews to transition from traffic control by law enforcement personnel to traffic control by arrowboards, drums, etc. Wisconsin Contracting with counties for roadway maintenance and maintaining strong relationships, such that the state DOT is always confident a county will not hesitate to answer a request from the state DOT to provide maintenance at a site Wisconsin Lessons Learned and Related Practices State Practices, by crosscutting functions Data and Knowledge Management: To facilitate the flow of interstate freight and other traffic during an extreme weather event, development of an online permitting system to issue emergency permits in advance the event New Jersey Engaging in post-event workshops and other activities to share and record knowledge and lessons learned from the event New Jersey Participating in the Governor's task force and state-level After Action Report, conducting a state DOT After Action Report, and hiring a consultant to run the exercise Iowa Supporting the communication of state DOT-related lessons learned to U.S.
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From page 74... ...
74 DISCUSSION OF COMMON AND RECURRING ISSUES Mission Area Functions Operations State DOTs routinely watch for adverse weather, drawing on external and in-house sources of information. In order to inform their decisions early on, they will use multiple sources of information on weather and related impacts, including NWS, contracted weather services, and in-house expertise, when available.
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From page 75... ...
75 • Communication strategy focused specifically on road closures and affected subsets of stakeholders, including real time status updates on such closures • Preparation for the inevitable exceptions to road closures, including guidance, criteria, and/or permit system, as well as strong and coordinated law enforcement, National Guard, or other shows of authority. During events with short lead times, state DOTs may draft and let contracts for recovery efforts before the weather event is over or the response is finished.
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From page 76... ...
76 and tracking repairs and costs associated with new forms of weather. When rebuilding is completed, maintenance crews will watch for follow-on problems, such as sinkholes after flooding.
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From page 77... ...
77 lessons learned in ICS management from the Irene experience. Maintaining a presence on multiagency committees and related workgroups proves helpful to state DOTs because such engagement maintains communication and relationships in addition to the primary task of addressing risks.
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From page 78... ...
78 dination. State DOTs often brought the FHWA in early and maintained the agency as a partner throughout, even as states challenged FHWA rulings regarding federal financial support.
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From page 79... ...
79 photos and the exact location of damage, as well as requirements for records retention. During an event, state DOTs attempt to share information in several ways.
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From page 80... ...
80 aspects, impacts to local transportation infrastructure, and what might be described as change management in the face of new or increased extreme weather events. Financial In addressing extreme weather events, state DOTs focus significant attention on the process for receiving federal reimbursement for the costs from extreme weather damage.
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From page 81... ...
81 or head to higher ground. In these instances, TDOT, for example, stresses to its field crews that safety comes first and will work with them to communicate the latest forecasts and other relevant information.
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From page 82... ...
82 significant organizational change. Iowa also matured in its management of extreme flood events between 2008 floods and those in 2011.
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