About
Our transportation infrastructure must be “future proofed” to meet the challenges of rising sea levels and increased flooding.
Bipartisan infrastructure legislation (such as the recently passed IIJA) authorizes a once in a generational investment opportunity in new and upgraded transportation facilities – roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, and public transit. Many new transportation projects will be in coastal areas, home to almost forty percent of Americans. There is growing evidence that more severe storms and rising sea level pose a risk to transportation infrastructure in coastal areas.
During this webinar, hear from federal and state government and civil society on the steps that governments are and could be taking to make sure that new transportation investments are resilient to risks posed by coastal storm flooding and rising sea levels.
We’ve prepared a primer with the most up-to-date information on threats to coastal transportation infrastructure, the federal policy framework influencing resiliency of coastal transportation infrastructure, and state-level examples of initiatives to incorporate resiliency into decision-making. This will provide helpful context to webinar attendees and anyone else interested in this topic.
Some of the questions addressed in the webinar include:
- Are there new approaches or tools that can strengthen resilience of transportation investments to coastal storms and rising sea levels?
- How can mechanisms such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard be used most effectively to reduce risk to transportation investments in coastal areas?
- How can plans for new transportation infrastructure in coastal areas be coordinated with plans to adapt communities and ecosystems to more severe storms and rising seas?
- What are the tools, policies, or regulations that have worked or are needed to support coastal resilience planning in transportation infrastructure?
Panelists describe how they incorporate resiliency into transportation decision-making, including the tools they have developed and their applicability across the United States. Panelists will have a facilitated discussion about challenges and opportunities associated with coastal transportation infrastructure, including considerations for stakeholder engagement and equity.
Taking the High Road: Strengthening Coastal Flood Resilience of Transportation Infrastructure is organized by the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University in partnership with Resilience Roadmap and the Coastal Flood Resilience Project.


