Enhancing Disaster Response Planning: A Framework for Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

Abstract

This research demonstrates a resilience-based approach to integrating active transportation into disaster preparedness and response planning. It establishes a framework for analyzing current conditions to identify vulnerable active transportation assets that can support the movement of people and resources following a disaster event. The paper starts by reviewing past instances in which bicycles were used during disaster response and highlights various programs that integrated bicycles into disaster response planning. The second part of the paper demonstrates how the Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework can be expanded to directly focus on active transportation networks. This extension allows for the identification of vulnerable active transportation assets, while outlining critical assets for disaster response, as illustrated by a case study conducted in Tacoma, Washington. By further incorporating bicycles into emergency and transportation planning, communities can strengthen their resilience and establish a more efficient transportation system during disaster response.