Hurricane Evacuation

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Hurricane Evacuation Incorporating Safety and
Security into Metropolitan Transportation Plans

• AMPO 2007 National Conference
• Thursday, October 4, 2007
• Christy D. Willhite, AICP

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SAFETEA-LU

• Increase the safety of the transportation system
  for motorized and non-motorized users.
• Increase the security of the transportation
  system for motorized and non-motorized users.
• Uhhhh, What????

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Then along came Rita
Wikimedia Commons Created using
Userjdorje/Tracks. The background image is from
NASA. Tracking data from the National Hurricane
Center.
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Surge Zone Map
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The Problem
Source William E. King
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Timeline

• August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina
• 81.2 Billion
• September 24, 2005 Hurricane Rita
• 10 Billion
• October 28, 2005 H-GAC TPC Amendment
• 500,000 STP for Hurricane Planning
• November 9, 2005 First Task Force Meeting
• January 12, 2006 A series of Fact Finding
  Meetings

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Fact Finding Meetings

• Communication (2/22/06)
• Media Interface (2/28/06)
• Hospitals (3/1/06)
• Ship Channel Industry Coordination (3/3/06)
• Nursing Homes (3/15/06)
• Receiver Counties (3/24/06)
• Home Health Care (3/28/06)

• Towing Industry Coordination (1/12/06)
• ISD Coordination (1/18/06)
• Fueling (1/24/06)
• Aerial Surveillance Assets (1/26/06)
• Upland Flood Risk (2/1/06)
• TXDPS/TTI/TXDOT (2/9/06)
• METRO and Private Bus Companies (2/15/06)

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Meeting Format

• Industry Leaders and Local Officials/Staff
• What was your experience?
• What do you need to do your job in this
  situation?
• What would you recommend for future evacuations?

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Critical Issues

• Traffic Management Plan
• Command and Control
• Evacuating People with Special Needs
• Moving Fuel

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Now We Know, What Do We Do?

• Task Force Meeting
• Identify Gaps
• Make Recommendations
• Incorporate Recommendations into Existing Plans

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Safety Council

• 39 Members
• Law Enforcement, Rail, Advocacy Orgs, Medical
• Meet 3 times a year
• Annual Conference
• Annual Report
• http//www.h-gac.com/HGAC/Departments/Transportati
  on/Safety/default.htm

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TIP Scoring Criteria2008-2011

• Roadway Improvement Planning Factors
• Safety and Security 25 Points
• Traffic Ops and Man. Planning Factors
• Homeland Security 30 Points
• Transit Service Factors
• Safety and Security 15 Points
• Transit Capital Factors
• Security and Safety 20 Points
• Livable Centers Factors
• Safety 20 Points

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Transit Safety and Security

• Eastex Transitway Surveillance Communication
  Control
• Intelligent Transportation Systems - Police
  Automation - Regional Cad (Fy 2008)

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Port Safety and Security

• Port of Freeport - Elevated Grade Separation

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Are we there yet??!!In short, no.

• On-going planning, testinguh, we better change
  that.
• Continuing review of TIP criteria and updates.
• Incorporating the evacuation route into the
  Long-range Plan.
• Defining the role of the MPO in hurricane
  evacuation.

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• "It is coordinate-and-cajole more than
  command-and-control," Eckels said. "But we are
  all working together on a plan, we are all
  following that plan.