Identifying, Assessing, and Managing Events for Critical Infrastructure Resilience in Surface Transportation

State departments of transportation (DOTs) play an important role in protecting critical transportation infrastructure from natural hazards, human-caused events, and emerging threats. However, there is currently no consistent methodology for identifying and assessing critical infrastructure within surface transportation systems. Definitions of “criticality” vary across agencies, and existing approaches often lack integration with broader resilience, security, and emergency management frameworks. Previous research has focused on specific threats, such as terrorism or cybersecurity, or on resilience to natural hazards, but gaps remain in developing proactive, risk-based approaches that address the full range of threats and system interdependencies. Transportation systems are closely linked with other infrastructure sectors, such as power and water systems, and disruptions can have cascading impacts across regions. Research is needed to help state DOTs better define their role in coordinating with law enforcement, emergency responders, and other planning partners and system owners to enhance preparedness, response capabilities, proactive resilience planning, stakeholder coordination, and implementation of national infrastructure protection frameworks. The objectives of this research are to (1) identify and assess surface transportation system interdependencies and develop a risk-based approach to managing a wide range of threats; and (2) develop an infrastructure resilience guide with case studies, a list of stakeholder roles and responsibilities, and decision-making tools to help state DOTs identify, assess, and manage risks to critical infrastructure within surface transportation systems.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=6079
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $400,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 23-63

• Sponsor Organizations:

  State Departments of Transportation (participating member states of American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO))

  American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Crichton-Sumners, Camille

• Start Date: 20260608
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision making; Disaster preparedness; Ground transportation; Infrastructure; Risk assessment; State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01992233
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 23-63
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jun 10 2026 11:41AM