Enhancing urban resilience: Managing flood-induced disruptions in road networks

Abstract

Emergency preparedness is essential to ensure public safety during disasters. Effective emergency planning requires robust response scenarios, especially for critical infrastructure like road networks. This paper aims to enhance the resilience of road infrastructures and ensure reliable network availability under adverse conditions, such as extreme weather events. By focusing on flood-induced disruptions, we present a novel, data-driven approach that combines a dynamic microsimulation model developed in Dynasim with real-time traffic data from the TomTom portal. Conducted in Palermo, Italy, this study assesses the impacts of different emergency management strategies on urban mobility, providing insights into congestion, rerouting dynamics, and operational limitations at critical intersections during flood events. The study’s results guide the development of a comprehensive emergency mobility plan with adaptive traffic management strategies, which can be used by public safety agencies to implement effective traffic control measures in real-time. This approach not only addresses immediate traffic management challenges during flood events but also informs long-term policy recommendations for enhancing infrastructure resilience, integrating sensor technology, and promoting community preparedness. The insights presented contribute to a scalable framework for bolstering the resilience of urban road networks against climate-induced disruptions.