How MPOs can advance transportation resilience to extreme weatherÂ
Extreme weather events are impacting communities across the nation, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) play a critical role in ensuring that communities and infrastructure are prepared for the impacts by building regional resilience. While MPOs rarely own transportation assets or infrastructure, they are positioned to play an impactful role in facilitating coordination, identifying regional priorities, and providing resources for member agencies.
One of the ways that MPOs can advance resilience to extreme weather and climate change is through the development of a Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP). RIPs are voluntary plans that demonstrate a systemic approach to transportation system resilience that include a risk-based vulnerability assessment to current and future extreme weather events.
As a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically the PROTECT discretionary grant program, MPOs who develop a RIP can unlock favorable funding mechanisms, such as reductions in federal match requirements. Recently, both Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) and National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) developed and received approval of their PROTECT compliant RIPs.
Given the potential value, here are four key recommendations and best practices for MPOs who are considering creating a RIP:
1. Focus on assessing the most important hazards
Building regional resilience to extreme weather and climate change starts by identifying the most significant hazards to the transportation system. An initial screening can help determine which hazards are significant in the region and should be prioritized for a more detailed analysis. A deeper assessment of the identified hazards enables MPOs to pinpoint the most vulnerable locations and strategically focus resilience investments. By focusing on the hazards that pose the greatest threats, MPOs can use their limited resources efficiently to support local agencies in targeting their efforts in areas that need it the most.
2. Incorporate equity concerns
Explicitly incorporating equity concerns into the RIP is crucial to improve resilience, mobility, and connectivity for vulnerable and underserved communities. These communities often lack access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation options, while also facing the potential for disproportionate impacts from extreme weather events.
There are many equity datasets available at the federal, state, and local levels that can be used to understand which communities may be disproportionately affected. For example, on a local level, TPB used their Equity Emphasis Areas (EEAs) to identify climate hazard risks for environmental justice communities in the region (Figure 1). Similarly, DCTC incorporated equity considerations in the vulnerability assessment scoring approach by overlaying their Transportation Equity Index, which has been locally vetted.
Incorporating equity concerns into climate planning, including climate assessments, allows a closer evaluation of how current and future climate hazards would impact communities and where resilience investments may provide direct benefit.
3. Build resources for implementation
Building resources to support planning and implementation at the regional and local level is essential for advancing resilience across jurisdictions and member agencies. As part of the RIP process, tools such as live maps, project submission forms, and online resilience toolboxes can serve as shared resources to streamline efforts and enhance collaboration. This also ensures the results are accessible and easily shareable with partners, the public, and stakeholders.
DCTC developed a project website that houses all the resources created during the RIP process. This platform serves as a central hub for member agencies to utilize and build from, such a Map Viewer, an Adaptation Toolbox with over 40 resilience measures, a resilience project ideas submission form, and several reference materials. TPB similarly built a mapping tool for its member agencies to use.
4. Engage stakeholders
Thoughtful stakeholder engagement is essential when MPOs undergo the RIP process. Key stakeholders range from partner transportation agencies to local community-based organizations. MPOs have a unique role of convening diverse stakeholders and reinforcing the shared goal of enhancing the resilience of transportation assets and systems. Stakeholder engagement can help:
- Ensure the RIP accurately captures the needs and priorities of the region.
- Ground-truth the results of the vulnerability assessment based on stakeholder experience.
- Solicit projects to include in the RIP.
- Understand existing resilience efforts across the region, if applicable.
Although most MPOs do not own or manage transportation infrastructure, they play a key role in convening partners and jurisdictions to advance regional resilience. Developing a RIP provides actionable data that stakeholders can use to inform decision making—and ultimately increase transportation resilience.
Future resilience plans should also incorporate potential enhancements to assess system vulnerabilities, such as updated data collection methods, to ensure they reflect best practices. In addition, while the PROTECT program is the primary funding source for transportation resilience, a RIP can also position MPOs and jurisdictions in their region to advance resilience through other funding sources as well, such as FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC).