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80 CHAPTER 8: FUTURE RESEARCH During this research, several needed research topics were identified by those interviewed or by the research team. This include the following: 1. Detour/Alternate Route Assessments: A resilient transportation system must be able to recover efficiently from disasters; maintain network connectivity and reliable travel times; and provide an interconnected, multimodal network for freight carriers, suppliers and customers. Local system resiliency planning for disruptions that affect the local area and can be mitigated by providing detours or other alternate routes for freight transportation. Transportation officials can enhance detour capabilities by pre-planning detour routes and by obtaining dynamic message signs to help with local detours. Traffic management systems developed to manage day-to-day traffic operations can be useful during supply chain disruptions for guiding traffic at the local level. Cities and MPOs should develop local transportation system resiliency strategies in their long- range plans in order to be better prepared for disruptions to the transportation systems that impact freight supply chains. Such strategies should be informed by network models. This research project would look at the entire spectrum of the identifying detour routes, assessing their capabilities in terms of handling more traffic and identify the types of strategies that could be used to implement these strategies. The product would be a guidebook. 2. Regional System Resiliency Plans: Disruptions that impact the freight transportation and supply networks of an entire region require regional and state-level mitigation strategies to overcome its impacts. Examples include regional detour operations, Class I rail detours, port diversions and multi-state traffic management operations. State transportation control centers can help to mitigate impacts of a regional system disruption such as a bridge collapse, tunnel fire or train derailment. State DOTs should incorporate statewide system resiliency strategies into their long-range plans. This project would examine how to do this methodologically as well as institutionally. 3. Develop Supply Chain Performance Measures: One of the key characteristics of todayâs transportation planning process is the use of performance metrics to monitor statewide or regional transportation system performance. These measures, however, focus on only system performance within the jurisdictional boundaries. This project would examine the development of performance measures for use by transportation planners relating to the supply chain but that have meaning to regional and local officials. 4. Emergency Response and Planning: Disruptions that are significant enough to impact the freight transportation and supply networks of the nation, and thus requiring extensive mitigation strategies, involve multiple agencies at several levels of government. Such disruptions may lead to declaring a state of emergency which would trigger the deployment of federal resources to assist with emergency response. Examples include responses to major hurricanes, wild fires, floods and major power outages. State DOTs should partner with neighboring states to develop inter-regional mitigation strategies in response to national disasters that impact multiple regions and states, including megaregions. These actions can be implemented through state long range transportation plans, emergency operations plans, state hazard mitigation plans, continuity of operations plans and state disaster response plans. This project would examine the linkage between the emergency response/emergency management planning and the long-range transportation planning process to identify areas of commonality and where planning can help prepare the transportation system better for potential disruptions.
81 5. Hazard Mitigation Plans: States are required to develop Hazard Mitigation Plans, which identify natural and man-made hazards and develop strategies for mitigating these hazards. This same methodology can be employed to plan for supply chain disruptions for the freight transportation network. State DOT officials should collaborate with State Emergency Management Officials to identify the range of supply chain disruptions and develop strategies for mitigating such disruptions. For example, the public sector can benefit from the experiences of the private sector in assigning supply chain risk managers whose job is to anticipate potential supply chain disruptions in advance when possible and initiate mitigation strategies to minimize impacts on the business operations. Local entities in many states have completed work to prepare for and position their region for natural disruptions, like MPO vulnerability assessments of regional transportation infrastructure. In addition, examples of man-made disruptions include planned disruptions like construction work zones, as well as unplanned disruptions such as hazardous material spills or events, terrorist attacks, international trade barriers, labor strikes, and lack of available workforce. These State Hazard Mitigation Plans can be used as a starting point for evaluating supply chain disruptions caused by natural or man-made disasters. This project would explicitly examine how supply chain considerations and factors (or at least awareness) can be integrated into the Mitigation Plans. 6. New Transportation Agency Roles and Responsibilities for Addressing Resiliency: In light of increasing occurrences of natural and man-made disasters, transportation agencies and organizations may benefit from establishing new roles and responsibilities to enhance organizational responses to supply chain disruptions at the state and local level. For example, supply chain risk management is an important element of maintaining freight system resiliency. Elements of supply chain risk management in the private sector include developing contingency plans for critical operations, managing inventory and identifying systems for which redundant applications can be employed if one system is impacted by a disruption. In order to respond to supply chain disruptions, private companies employ supply chain risk managers to ensure disruptions from disasters do not impact manufacturing, transportation, warehousing and shipments to customers. These personnel are trained to anticipate events that may disrupt supply chains and to act to mitigate disruptions by either moving raw materials or finished products to safe locations or move entire operations. Alternatively, companies also contract with risk managers to monitor supply chain risks such as major weather events, labor disputes, political unrest or intentional acts of violence or terrorism. These same strategies can be employed in the public sector by training DOT employees to anticipate transportation system disruptions and act to mitigate the impacts of such disruptions. New roles and responsibilities may need to be assigned to personnel in order to better respond to disruptive events. This can take the form of moving transportation assets to secure locations in advance of major weather events, pre- positioning dynamic message signs or coordinating traffic management through transportation management systems. This can also include ensuring key supply chains are maintained during emergency response such as transporting water, food, and other emergency supplies needed during disasters. This project would focus on the specific capabilities, knowledge and tools that public agency employees would need to fit this role. 7. Integrate Transportation and Emergency Management Planning: State DOTs serve as âguardians of transportation infrastructureâ and help to protect critical infrastructure assets. This includes securing transportation facilities, providing emergency management support to first responders, and helping to maintain business continuity during disasters. During emergencies, State DOTs coordinate with State Emergency Management Agencies. State and local governments need to implement transportation and emergency management plans while coordinating between agencies. For example, MPOs developing long range plans need to include fire and law enforcement officials in the planning process. Similarly, Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) need to coordinate with MPOs while developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) for their communities. Companies are also taking steps to integrate with emergency managers and to understand emergency operations along the supply chain. This type of coordination between transportation and emergency management is often overlooked in the planning process, because Emergency System Functions (ESF) are usually implemented at the operational level and not the planning
