By Dale M. Stith, HRTPO Principal Transportation Planner
Recently, Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) staff had the opportunity to speak at the National Academies Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellowship Seminar, where experts gathered to discuss how communities can better prepare for disruptions and build stronger, more adaptable systems. The conversations covered everything from transportation and port infrastructure to designing buildings that can withstand future challenges. The seminar was a great opportunity to share how the HRTPO is incorporating resilience into the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and to hear perspectives from others who are addressing similar issues in their own fields.
In Hampton Roads, resilience isn’t just a priority, it’s a necessity. The region is home to key assets like the Port of Virginia and major military bases, including the world’s largest naval installation. As such, when a disruption happens here, it doesn’t just affect us locally, it can send ripple effects across the state and nation. That’s why when planning for future transportation, the HRTPO focuses on preparing for uncertainty rather than trying to predict the future. By using scenario planning, staff can test how different projects perform under a range of possible conditions, helping to ensure transportation investments hold up over time.
Another way the HRTPO incorporates resilience into decision-making is with its Project Prioritization Tool, a data-driven framework that helps inform transportation planning. The tool assesses projects using a range of factors, including criticality, vulnerability, and accessibility, ensuring resilience is embedded in the project evaluation process. HRTPO staff also use tools like the US DOT Volpe Center’s Resilience and Disaster Recovery (RDR) Tool Suite to assess roadway vulnerabilities and understand how resilience-focused investments can make a difference. Coupled with scenario planning, these tools play a critical role in shaping a stronger, more adaptable transportation system.
In addition to painting a broad picture of resilience planning considerations, the Climate Crossroads Seminar featured an insightful discussion on big-picture strategies, exploring how to connect the dots across different industries and align resilience efforts. One particularly validating moment came when another speaker, who described his region’s transportation planning organization as forward-thinking, noted that the HRTPO is taking resilience planning a step further by integrating regret-based analysis into project evaluation. This recognition reinforced that the HRTPO is leading the way in proactively addressing uncertainty in long-range transportation planning.
Sharing our work on a national stage isn’t just a chance to highlight what we’ve accomplished; it’s also an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from others, and refine our strategies. Engaging in these conversations allows us to continually improve our approach to ensuring the region’s transportation network remains strong – rain or shine, now and into the future.