Development of a Conceptual Model for Accelerated Project Prioritization after Disaster Event

Abstract

There is a need for rapid and responsive infrastructure repair and construction after natural disaster events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. These natural disasters often shut down basic infrastructure systems, including roads, bridges, water supply, and power supply, as experienced recently in several Region 6 states as well as in other states around the country. Accelerated construction practices are often used in these situations to speed up the traditional, and often slow, project delivery process. However, after a natural disaster, several and different types of transportation infrastructure components are in need of inspection, rehabilitation or reconstruction, and transportation agencies are challenged with the task of prioritizing these accelerated projects. This paper studied the current practices and institutional barriers to identify the critical decision criteria and to develop a conceptual model for prioritizing needs for accelerated construction after disaster events, specifically hurricanes and flooding which commonly affect Region 6.