“available in the future,
Low-lying evacuation routes may not be and the increase
in frequency of evacuations will call for additional
”
resources devoted to the problem.
storm-damaged region were not operating from lack of power.12 Not all impacts are restricted to coastal storms and hurricanes. High storm winds also cause damage to signage and overhead cables, as well as to warehouse facilities at intermodal sites (which tend to be lightly built), and disrupt roadway operations with downed trees and debris. Potentially increased storm activity could include an increase in lightning strikes, which can disrupt electronic transportation infrastructure, such as signaling. On the other hand, decreases in winter snowstorms (e.g., with more winter precipitation falling as rain due to higher temperatures) could reduce winter maintenance needs and costs, reduce use of environmentally damaging winter road maintenance substrates, and positively impact safety.
2.2.3 Changes in Precipitation
implications for emergency management as well. Low-lying evacuation routes may not be available in the future, and the increase in frequency of evacuations will call for additional resources devoted to the problem. Offshore pipelines are also vulnerable to hurricanes, with wave action and seabed erosion particularly affecting pipelines in shallow waters (as found in the Gulf of Mexico petroleum collection networks). Larger on-shore pipelines also face disruption from storm-induced power outages. For instance, after Hurricane Katrina, gasoline shortages were experienced along the East Coast because pipelines originating in the
Projected changes in annual precipitation are not consistent across the United States, with regional models showing increases in some areas and decreases in others. Increasing rates of annual average precipitation can render stormwater facilities inadequate, lead to deteriorating water quality due to run-off and sedimentation, degrade infrastructure, and change soil conditions (with impacts such as subsidence and heave, landslides, and structural instability). Decreasing precipitation rates also can create problems, particularly in drying and shrinking of soils, affecting the base under pavements and other structures. Warming temperatures also will likely result in a shift from snowfall to rainfall, potentially relieving areas that typically see large amounts of snow from some of the cost of maintaining winter roads. A potentially more significant concern across the nation is a projected increase in the intensity of precipitation events. Extreme rainfall events can overwhelm stormwater management systems, lead to more flooding, and increase run-off issues
12
CCSP, 2008: Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study, Phase I. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and Subcommittee on Global Change Research [Savonis, M.J., V.R. Burkett, and J.R. Potter (eds.)]. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., USA, 445 pp.
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