Hierarchical Approach for Assessing the Vulnerability of Roads and Bridges to Flooding in Massachusetts

Abstract

The current study addresses the issue of vulnerability assessment of transportation systems to climate change, with the purpose of improving current indicator-based approaches in this field. It builds upon other efforts and seeks to enhance rationality in the decision-making process by minimizing arbitrary choices. The study focuses on coastal Massachusetts, which is affected by sea level rise (SLR) and storms and, thus, requires adaptation plans that will prevent interruption of service to communities that are dependent upon the transportation system. A prior step to such planning is identifying the vulnerable parts of the system. An indicator-based approach is commonly employed for that matter, wherein various indicators are integrated to measure vulnerability. Limitations of this approach include arbitrary aggregation and weighting of indicators. These limitations are addressed by prioritizing indicators to create ordered asset lists for adaptation needs. Roads and bridges are analyzed in separate schemes, and the results are presented both in a table and a map format, visualizing the relevant features to users, with the purpose of providing a vulnerability assessment that is transparent, modifiable, and rational.