Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs

This executive summary outlines the needs of transportation planners in the United States to adapt infrastructure to climate change. It highlights the significant financial losses from extreme weather, such as Superstorm Sandy, and argues that adaptation requires a combination of high-resolution climate data (specifically short-duration rainfall intensity), better understanding of local non-climate factors, and improved science literacy among transportation professionals. The document emphasizes that adaptation is a management and economic challenge requiring tools that integrate climate variability with local economic and community values.

• Extreme weather events cause significant financial damage to United States transportation infrastructure, which is often uninsured. In 2011, extreme weather caused over $60 billion in damages nationwide, with Superstorm Sandy alone potentially exceeding $50 billion in total damages and causing an estimated $7.5 billion in damages specifically to New York's transportation infrastructure.
• Transportation planning has traditionally relied on historical data and the assumption that climatic conditions remain constant, but climate change is expected to impact the safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and technical feasibility of asset management and investment decisions. These impacts vary by region, local area, and site scale.
• Effective climate adaptation for transportation requires more than just climate science; it necessitates better information on local non-climate factors, improved cross-discipline communication between engineers and scientists, and increased science literacy among transportation professionals.
• There are specific gaps in available data and tools for transportation planning. Specifically, hydraulic engineers require higher-resolution information on rainfall intensity for events lasting 6 hours or less, as current projections are provided at a 24-hour level. Additionally, planners need tools that can integrate climate variability with local development patterns, population growth, and community values.
• Climate adaptation is identified as a management and economic issue as much as an engineering one. Practitioners need guidance on incorporating climate impacts into asset management and determining the most cost-effective way to direct funds, while ensuring adaptation solutions align with local values and the economy.

APA

Lutenegger, B., & Cross, J.-M. (2013). Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/report-summary-climate-adaptation-and-transportation

Chicago

Lutenegger, Brian, and John-Michael Cross. Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2013. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/report-summary-climate-adaptation-and-transportation.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lutenegger |first1=Brian |last2=Cross |first2=John-Michael |title=Climate Adaptation & Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=28 February 2013 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/report-summary-climate-adaptation-and-transportation |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lutenegger2013climate, author = {Lutenegger, Brian and Cross, John-Michael}, title = {{Climate Adaptation \& Transportation: Identifying Information and Assistance Needs}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2013}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/report-summary-climate-adaptation-and-transportation}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }