ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS OF THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM ON HIGHWAYS

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a major Federal floodplain management program. Its primary objectives are: 1) to provide flood insurance coverage at reasonable rates for the public in floodplains; and 2) to promote, for floodprone areas, land use policies that will regulate future development and avoid increasing potential for flood damage. Highways are not affected by the insurance aspects of the program; but are subject, in certain instances, to floodplain regulations. The floodplain regulations stipulate design criteria which are the same for every situation regardless of site physiography, floodplain land use, and the risks associated with hydraulic conditions. In contrast, each highway encroachment design must be carefully evaluated for specific site conditions. This evaluation includes an economic-risk analysis of regional hydrology, stream hydraulics, potential flood losses in terms of damage to the structure, upstream flooding due to backwater, stream erosion and costs due to loss of the transportation route. For many sites the NFIP criteria are reasonable, for others they pose a barrier to sound hydraulic engineering and economical highway design. By Executive Order and subsequent directive in the Federal-Aid Program Manual, highway agencies are compelled to design encroachments built with Federal-aid consistent with the standards of the NFIP where a regulatory floodway has been designated. FHWA continues to support economic-risk analysis for all actions. (FHWA)

• Corporate Authors:

  Keifer and Associates, Incorporated

  20 North Wacker Drive
  Chicago, IL  United States  60606

  Federal Highway Administration

  Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Davis, G
• Publication Date: 1980-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 72 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backwaters; Costs; Design; Economic analysis; Flood damage; Flood plains; Floods; Hazards; Highway design; Hydraulics; Hydrology; Impact studies; Insurance; Land use; Loss and damage; Management; Regulations; Risk assessment; Scour; Transportation; Zoning
• Uncontrolled Terms: Design criteria
• Old TRIS Terms: Flood plain zoning
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Economics; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Law; Society; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00335977
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-80-015 Final Rpt., FCP 35H4-06
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-9231
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 28 1981 12:00AM