Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Climate Change

MnDOT snow plow on a highway

Flash Flood Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Pilot Project

Flood waters washing out road and bridge in District 1
Flood waters washing out road and bridge in District 1

MnDOT was one of 19 Climate Resilience Pilot projects selected by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as part of an effort to evaluate the FHWA Climate Change & Extreme Weather Vulnerability Assessment Framework. The project assessed vulnerability and risk of increased flooding to the trunk highway system in MnDOT District 1 (Northeastern MN) and District 6 (Southeastern MN). The project included a system-wide vulnerability assessment and a focused evaluation of adaptation options for at-risk facilities in each District.

The goals of the pilot project were to:

  • Better understand the vulnerability of the state’s trunk highway system (interstates, US routes, and state roads) to flash flooding events
  • Develop a process to identify cost-effective planning and design solutions to increase resiliency
  • Support MnDOT’s asset management planning efforts
  • Provide feedback to FHWA on the assessment process