HDOT Climate Resilience Action Plan | May 2021

Next Steps 4

INVESTING FOR EFFECTIVE DESIGN WHEN CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE As noted throughout this Action Plan, climate change introduces a few key concepts that need to be considered as a part of effective decision-making, including the following: ⊲ A future that is unlike the past ⊲ A future with conditions that are uncertain ⊲ A need to consider how future conditions may impact a transportation asset ⊲ Considerations of how impacts to a transportation asset may affect system users. Such considerations as shown in Figure 8 are particularly pressing in Hawai‘i as the highway system is limited in extent, and its use continues to grow as the population grows and the number of visitors continues to increase. HDOT is moving forward as a part of this Action Plan with the implementation of a robust decision-making process on future projects that incorporate future uncertainties to ensure that all investments are effective and well informed. This approach is different than the way decisions were made in the past and presents a more robust framework for decision- making when considering future environmental conditions. One possible approach is found in the Adaptation Decision- Making Assessment Process (ADAP). ADAP was originally developed by FHWA over the last decade as part of its research into effective decision-making when considering climate change for transportation projects. It introduces key

Consider Scenarios of What the Future May Be

Assess Design Options to Address Future Scenarios

Consider How Each Option Performs Over its Anticipated Lifetime

Consider SystemEffects and Implications for Hawaii Residents and Businesses Utilize the Generated Information to Make an Informed Investment Decisions

Figure 8 Resilient Design Process

dialogue points critical to effective decision-making, including data uncertainty, asset damage, consequences associated with impacts, and system effects. One key element of the process is that it introduces a broader conversation on risk and risk tolerance than that typically implemented through design criteria methods which apply design criteria without the more in-depth assessment.

24 HAWAI I HIGHWAYS C L I MAT E ADAP TAT I ON ACT I ON P L AN