As Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton swept through Florida this hurricane season, Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) research helped provide support to emergency response entities to safeguard critical infrastructure and manage evacuation routes.
Throughout the nation, TTI’s research has been instrumental in understanding how people evacuate during hurricanes and identifying ways communities can better plan, prepare for and recover from these disasters. Part of this work addresses the impact of hurricanes on vital roadways, ensuring transportation systems can handle the surge in traffic during evacuations.
In the September 2024 edition of the Traffic Technology International magazine, TTI researchers David Bierling, Jeff Kaufman and Mike Vickich discussed the collaborative efforts between local, state and federal agencies to operate efficiently during emergencies. Their insights shed light on how integrated planning and real-time data contribute to saving lives and protecting infrastructure during crises. For a deeper dive into how hurricane evacuations are planned and a look at the complexities behind these operations, check out this feature article.