Parsons Brinckerhoff and Science Applications International Corp. have been awarded a contract by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program to prepare separate handbooks on vulnerability assessment and emergency response for state departments of transportation. The project is being carried out on behalf of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials.
The Vulnerability Assessment Guide will produce an approach that DOTs can use to conduct vulnerability studies for highway facilities and other transportation assets. The handbook will include a discussion of possible countermeasures to prevent or ameliorate threats to transportation facilities and will provide a formula for determining the capital and operating costs for various countermeasures.
The emergency response guide will address the development of state DOT programs for emergency response to terrorist incidents involving highway systems assets as well as the use of highways as part of emergency response to incidents involving other non-highway assets. The handbook will identify actions state DOTs need to take to achieve a coordinated response, including modifications and supplements to command and communications framework, action plans and equipment. The project also will develop potential capital costs for implementation of these plans, including equipment needs, training, communications systems and ongoing operating expenses.
