Evacuation and Emergency Transportation as components of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

Evacuation and Emergency Transportation as components of Transportation Resilience

Brian Wolshon Louisiana State University

FAU Irma Lessons Learned Seminar 11/28/2017

What is Disaster Resilience?

• The term "resilience" means the ability to

prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions*

• In the context of community resilience, the

emphasis is not solely on mitigating risk, but implementing measures to ensure that the community recovers to normal, or near normal function, in a reasonable timeframe.

*As defined in Presidential Policy Directive 21.

Time to Full Recovery

Adapted from Bruneau, 2003 and McDaniels, 2008

Maintain acceptable levels of functionality during and after disruptive events Recover full functionality within a specified period of time

Functionality

Modifications before disruptive events that improve system performance Repairs after disruptive event to restore system functionality

Time Residual Functionality Lost Functionality

Aging System Event

Resilience Concept

Attributes of Resilience

• Functionality – Resilience should be based on the ability
• f social systems to resume function within a prescribed

period of time following an expected event. Buildings and infrastructure must be functional to support these social systems.

• Interdependence – Resilience must consider the

interdependence of buildings and infrastructure (functionality) and the relationship of individuals and

• rganizations with the built environment.

Performance Levels for After- Event Evaluations

Category Infrastructure System Performance Standard

I Resume 100% service within days II Resume 90% service within weeks and 100% within months III Resume 90% service within months and 100% within years

Basic Principles of Emergency and Event Traffic Management

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Stress transportation networks

safety, capacity, and demand

• Require reaching beyond “typical”

transportation relationships continuous and inclusive cooperation, collaboration, and communication

• Traffic management useful for

incidents, events, emergencies, both planned and unplanned

Basic Principles of Emergency and Event Traffic Management

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Modeling and simulation

depict & forecast conditions and test strategies

• Advanced planning and coordination

improves outcomes

• Drill and test plans to

train personnel in response and recovery and identify potential shortcomings before they occur

Basic Planning Principles: Planned Events

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Predictable in time and place)
• Often predictable in terms of volumes and

modes of travel

• Traffic management strategies may include
• perational strategies,

network modification strategies, and demand management strategies

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Can include traffic incidents & emergency

events

• Vary in scale, duration, & complexity
• Can be managed using National Incident

Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) procedures

• Larger incidents require the Unified

Command structure, (FHWA’s “Simplified Guide to Incident Command Structure for Transportation Professionals”)

Basic Planning Principles: Unplanned Events

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Eliminate or restrict parking on routes into
• r away from the event
• Enabling immediate towing of vehicles in

restricted lanes

• Eliminate or restrict left turns at key

intersections

• Extending signal timing in predominant

directions

(each comes with pros and cons)

Common Operational Strategies for Event Traffic Management

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• Restrict traffic to buses-only near venue
• Use law enforcement officers to protect

pedestrian movements or facilitate vehicle movements at intersections

• Set up detour routes for routine traffic
• Reverse traffic flow on specific streets to

facilitate movement

(each comes with pros and cons)

Common Operational Strategies for Event Traffic Management

http://www.trb.org/

Evacuation

Evacuation Basics

Gulf Coast Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency

• TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL
• Hazard Characteristics

– Scale (how “big?” -> How far to evacuate), Amount of advanced notice, Shelter-in-place options

• Evacuee Characteristics

– Who are they? Where are they? How many? How mobile? Behavior (if/when will they leave?), What are their needs?

• Transportation Resources

– Modes, Highway Transit, Traffic Control, Traffic Management

• Communications
• To/from, Across and between all levels, jurisdictions,

agencies, and evacuees, Need for situational awareness

Photo Source: Lt. John Denholm Harris Co. (TX) Sheriff's Office

Hurricane Rita Evacuation - Interstate 45 (north of Houston)

Photo Source: Yi-Chang Chiu, University of Arizona

Regional-Level Modeling and Visualization

Map Source: LaDOTD http://www.dotd.state.la.us/maps

325 2925 5525 8125 10725 13325 15925 18525 21125 23725 26325 28925 31525 34125 36725 39325 41925 44525 47125 49725 52325 54925 57525 60125 62725 65325 67925 70525 73125 75725 78325 6 12 18 24 30 36 42

Westbound I-10 Traffic Speed

(Map source: 2001 Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Study)

Scenario Testing and Evaluation

Analysis of “variable” hazards and responses

• Temporal –
• More/less time to

evacuate

• implementation of

phasing strategies

• Spatial –
• Storm size and

direction of approach

• network

management

Megaregion Modeling

• Evacuation Phasing
• Network Management

Beaumont Port Arthur Lake Charles Lafayette Baton Rouge New Orleans

N

Houston