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TRAFFIC GURU By Ed Drass If a major urban avenue is washed out by flood waters, or if the wind blows pieces from buildings, is this a sign of age or climate change? Roadways, bridges and rail lines are usually designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions that may occur every 50 or 100 years -- but what if Mother Nature starts to act up more frequently? A recent climate projection by NASA scientists estimates North America will experience much higher summer temperatures by later this century. If their estimates are correct, at least one major implication is heat buckling -- something that could affect government highway departments as well as the privately owned railways. Toronto NDP MPP Peter Tabuns says we in the Great White North are not paying attention to how our transport assets will cope with changes in weather. “There’s a real concern about ensuring that our roads, culverts (and) transit systems are prepared for much hotter conditions, greater likelihood of ice storms, more flooding and heat conditions that can cause problems with rails and roads. Something that Ontario Environment Commissioner (Gord Miller) has noted is he hasn’t seen planning or action on the part of the government of Ontario to actually prepare for a different climate that’s on its way.” Does the former head of Greenpeace, and now his party’s critic for transportation and environment, contend that Queen’s Park is still unsure about whether there is a real problem? Speaking from the provincial legislature, he says, “In terms of the world’s climate changing, I would say (that) in this building, that debate’s over.” He continues, “I just think people haven’t gone to the next stage yet, and that’s: these are the steps we need to take urgently to try and reduce the increase in word temperatures, and these are the steps we need to take so that the investment in infrastructure is safeguarded.” Says, Tabuns, “In some instances action has been taken. When the Confederation Bridge was built from PEI to New Brunswick it was built a meter higher than currently required in anticipation of sea levels rising. So clearly somebody is thinking about that.” Fresh from a press conference underneath the busiest bridge along the world’s busiest highway -- the 401 -- provincial Transport Minister Donna Cansfield sounds confident that Ontario is preparing properly. She says the massive Hogg’s Hollow bridges at Yonge Street are being rebuilt strong enough to withstand another Hurricane Hazel -- the deadly tropical storm that caused so much damage in Toronto in 1954, killing 81 people. Further preparation, she says, involves pre-designating detours in case crucial infrastructure is closed during emergencies. She also touts Ontario’s frequent inspection of its highway assets; “We’re the only province that does, for example, major bridge inspections every two years,” adding, “On top of that we do visual bridge inspections.” About 250 of the province’s 2,800 bridges are to be replaced this year she says, “And when they undergo replacement, they undergo new design.” Cansfield states the transport ministry has offered assistance to help inspect the many thousands more bridges owned by municipalities. The government is also working with quite a few universities on revising infrastructure design, she says. Can governments refit highways, bridges, culverts and transit systems to deal with unpredictable climate, when there is already a backlog on good old-fashioned maintenance such as repaving? “There’s no question that’s a real challenge,” she says, “because if you look back at the lack of investment over the last number of years, all of the municipalities and the government on its own infrastructure are playing catch up.”
Ed Drass Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2007/2007050924907.html
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2007/extreme_summer.html |
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© Ed Drass 2008 |