The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is developing a conceptual Risk Assessment Model that would be used to help decision makers identify transportation assets that are most exposed to threats from climate change and/or are associated with the most serious potential consequences of climate change threats. The conceptual model consists of three primary components:
1) Develop an inventory of transportation assets
2) Gather climate information
3) Assess the risk to assets and the transportation system as a whole from projected climate change
On October 8, 2010, FHWA announced the five locations that have been selected for piloting the conceptual model. In addition to Hampton Roads, the pilot program will include the San Francisco Bay Area, Coastal and Central New Jersey, the State of Washington, and Oahu, Hawaii. The pilots will be conducted over the next year.