Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study, analyzes how Gulf Coast roads and highways, transit services, oil and gas pipelines, freight handling ports, transcontinental railroad networks, waterway systems, and airports are likely to be harmed by heat waves, extreme precipitation events, sea level rise, increased hurricane intensity, and storm surge damage associated with climate change. The report outlines why changes must be incorporated in transportation planning now in order to avoid serious future problems.
From the report: "While further study is needed to examine in more detail the impacts on specific transportation facilities, such as individual airports or rail terminals, this preliminary assessment finds that the potential impacts on infrastructure are so important that transportation decision makers should begin immediately to assess them in the development of transportation investment strategies."
Click here to read the full Gulf Coast report: http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-7/final-report/
Click here to read Climate Science Watch’s full analysis of the situation:
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/index.php/csw/details/climate_transportation_stealth_release/
Click here to link to the DOT press release: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot3608.htm