Rural Roads Vulnerability Reduction Assessment, Mitigation Measures, and Training

Abstract

Considerable experience has been gained in the assessment of storm damage to rural roads, subsequent repairs, and implementing measures to reduce the vulnerability of the road system to future events both in the western United States and in Latin America. Closure or damage to rural roads presents a major hardship to local populations, hinders disaster relief efforts, and results in costly damage repairs. Storm-damage assessment, for both repairs and assessing vulnerability, involves a subjective process of working with local communities to identify their highest priorities and support combined with objective inventory of the transportation system and identification of hazards and repair options. Needed work has been specified on simple work lists with site-specific repair or reconstruction recommendations. Many cost-effective planning, location, design, and, maintenance measures can be implemented to greatly reduce the risk and vulnerability of roads, particularly on low-volume roads. Most measures involve avoiding problematic areas, incorporating adequate design detail, and controlling drainage. Training has been conducted and manuals have been written to improve rural-road design, to implement effective storm-damage repairs, reduce future risks, and to minimize environmental damage.