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Title:

Bikes and Disasters: Building Resilience Through Pedal Power

Accession Number:

01556982

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Transportation Research Board Business Office

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Abstract:

Major disasters can impact communities by severely disrupting fuel supplies and damaging transportation infrastructure and vehicles. These impacts can hamper response and recovery efforts, however, communities have been shown to be more resilient and have better recovery outcomes if they maintain a diverse portfolio of transportation modes. Among transportation options, bicycles are inexpensive, common, and efficient; however, despite numerous instances where they have proven to be a valuable resource, little reference to them has been made in disaster planning and policies in the US. Through the framework of disaster planning, an opportunity exists for cycling and disaster preparedness advocates to improve bicycling resources and awareness. Additionally, cycling offers additional benefits of greater community health, reduced traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and community capacity building, all of which are outcomes that benefit community resiliency. This paper describes the impact natural disasters can have on transportation; cites cases where bicycles have contributed to post-disaster relief and recovery in disaster afflicted areas; describes how some communities have incorporated bicycles into disaster awareness and preparedness planning; and explores how these lessons could be applied to the US in general and more specifically to the local context of Honolulu, Hawaii. Also explored are the degree to which communities recognize and include bicycles in their mitigation plans; the various impacts of disasters on transportation modes and networks; and the vulnerability of transportation modes and networks on Oahu.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AT065 Logistics of Disaster Response and Business Continuity.

Monograph Accession #:

01550057

Report/Paper Numbers:

15-5159

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Weersing, Anthony

Pagination:

11p

Publication Date:

2015

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Photos; References; Tables

Geographic Terms:

Honolulu (Hawaii); United States

Subject Areas:

Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Security and Emergencies; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2015 Paper #15-5159

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Dec 30 2014 1:44PM