Resilient Transportation Systems in a Post-Disaster Environment: A Case Study of Opportunities Realized and Missed in the Greater New Orleans Region, 2010

Abstract

Based upon our research in Post-Katrina New Orleans, we define transportation resiliency as a system’s ability to function before, during and after major disruptions through reliance upon multiple mobility options. The importance of a resilient transportation system becomes more apparent during disasters where multiple options for mobility are necessary for both passenger and goods movement due to the potential loss of one or more modes. Post-Katrina New Orleans offers a unique opportunity to investigate pre-disaster planning and post-disaster recovery activities in a major metropolitan city where all modes of transportation were either severely damaged or completely destroyed. In response to Hurricane Katrina, the costliest disaster in U.S. history, new policies and programs have been adopted in New Orleans, in Louisiana, and at the federal level for disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery. This paper addresses how transportation systems and policies in New Orleans have evolved in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (2005) to achieve a greater degree of resiliency and ultimately better serve the mobility needs of the community in future disaster situations.