Quantifying and Analyzing the Costs of Climate Change on Local Transportation Infrastructure: A Case Study from Portland, Oregon

Climate change has the potential to produce more frequent and intense rainfall events. In the Portland metropolitan area these events have the potential to flood several urban bridges and streets. This research aims to quantify and analyze the impacts of urban flooding on transportation at the local level. Cost data relevant to a typical flooding event for two urban watersheds were collected and analyzed. The economic costs of flooding were classified and quantified based on available historical data and the cost of potential delays. Results indicate that any cost analysis is extremely sensitive to the occurrence of human fatalities or injuries and fairly insensitive to delay costs. In addition, this research presents a comprehensive classification of flooding costs, identifies preventative measures and data collection needs, and makes short- and long-term recommendations.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Figliozzi, Miguel
  • Melgoza, Rolando
  • Ruelas, David
  • Chang, Heejun
  • Lafrenz, Martin
  • Platman, Deena
  • Pederson, Cindy
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2010-1-10 to 2010-1-14
• Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 26p
• Monograph Title: TRB 89th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges and culverts; Climate change; Costs; Floods; Rainfall; Traffic delays; Traffic incidents; Travel time; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: Portland (Oregon)
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01154550
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 10-4112
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 14 2010 7:14AM