Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
APPENDIX A Detailed Statement of Task T his study will focus on and emphasize the consequences of climate change for U.S. transportation and adaptation strategies. It will summarize possible consequences for transportation, such as from sea- level rise, higher mean temperatures with less extreme low temperatures and more hot extremes, and, possibly, more frequent and severe rain events. U.S. transportation options for adapting to impacts will be ana- lyzed, including possible need to alter assumptions about infrastructure design and operations; ability to incorporate uncertainty in long-range decision making; and capability of institutions to plan and act on mitiga- tion and adaptation strategies at the state and regional levels. The study will also provide federal, state, and local transportation officials in the United States with an overview of the scientific consensus regarding climate changeâincluding uncertainty about its nature and extent. Drawing heavily upon analyses already prepared, the study will sum- marize current and projected contributions of transportation to climate change and the potential effects, costs, and benefits of strategies to reduce transportationâs impact. This would include strategies, for example, that affect land use patterns, influence mode choice, and involve alternatively fueled or more efficient motor vehicles. The study will identify critical areas of needed research. The final report will include findings and recommendations regarding needed research and suggested actions to prepare for the possibility of climate change. 209
