NSTWOS Ear
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ITS World Congress 2012
Climate Change Effects and Potential Responses: System Maintenance
•Shifting rain/snow/ice line will mean…
–Changes in resource needs (e.g., less snow fighting, more ice fighting, more flooding)
–Altered construction and maintenance schedules
•Increased frequency, duration and intensity of droughts
–Changes in vegetation management
•Increased coastal and inland flooding
–Increased and more frequent use of resources (e.g., staff, evacuation materials)
•Increase in magnitude & duration of severe heat waves
–Altered construction and maintenance schedules
–Deploy “quick maintenance” patrols to address potholes and buckling issues
 
System Maintenance Response
Climate Trends Impacts
Shifting rain/snow line
•Reduced need for winter maintenance resources and staff
•Potential for increased winter maint. on routes currently inaccessible in winter
•Shift in resources from winter maintenance to winter flooding monitoring and traveler info
•Shift in resources from snow to ice management
•Monitoring trends to identify and forecast trends of increasing or decreasing snow/ice and frequency of extreme precipitation events
•Altered construction and maintenance schedules
Increased frequency, duration and intensity of droughts; increase in average air temperature
•Changes to vegetation management activities
Climate Event Impacts
Increased coastal and inland flooding
•Mandatory diversion to more robust alternate routes
•Increased staff and resources to monitor vulnerable routes and provide trav. info.
Increase in magnitude and duration of severe heat waves
•Mandatory diversion, particularly for freight, to more robust alternate routes
•Deploy “quick maintenance” patrols to address potholes and buckling issues
•Altered construction and maintenance schedules