Study Overview
While the transportation sector is a major
contributor to climate change, it is also directly
impacted by climate change itself, and adaptation
strategies must be pursued to ensure the reliability
and functionality of the region’s transportation
network. In recognition of this need, the Tennessee
Department of Transportation, in partnership with
Vanderbilt University and the University of
Tennessee, conducted a study assessing the
vulnerability of Tennessee’s transportation assets to
extreme weather. This is the first time this kind of
assessment has been done for this region, and the
report’s findings have been vital to the development
of this climate adaptation plan and have helped
inform the recommended solutions in this report.
Major Findings
The TDOT report identified critical transportation assets on a statewide level, defining these as “any
portion of the transportation system without which there would be an immediate and substantial
disruption to the transportation system at the local, regional or national level”. Historic extreme
weather events and future extreme weather scenarios were used to conduct an impact assessment on
these assets. A vulnerability score for each infrastructure asset associated with a certain type of extreme
weather event was established, and scores were calculated for every county in the state.
The report identified critical weather risks to the MPO region’s transportation infrastructure as: extreme
heat, high winds and thunderstorms, tornadoes, heavy precipitation and flooding, lightning, hail,
drought, and winter storm events.
Recommendations
This study represents a starting point for integrating
extreme weather risk into the TDOT's management, planning and operations. It also serves as
a foundation that TDOT can build upon by performing follow-on activities based on the results
of the extreme weather vulnerability assessment. The following initiatives are recommended
for implementation:
-Adaptation Project Planning
-Coordination with Risk-Based Asset Management Plan
-Communicating Site-Specific Results to Local Stakeholders
-Extreme Weather Vulnerability Assessment Tool Development