Road shoulders typically do not have the subsurface structure built out to the extent that roads do, so improving road shoulders can help provide additional lateral support to prevent road damage during inundation. For gravel shoulders, this can include paving them. For shoulders that are already paved, this could include increasing the size, width, or depth of the shoulders.
Moderate – can help reduce road damage during flood events
Low/Moderate – it is generally cost-prohibitive to modify engineered infrastructure once constructed; however, smaller scale projects may have greater flexibility and retrofits may be integrated into routine upgrade schedules
Cost; lack of jurisdiction (for roads that are “road by use”, the town/county may have limited options for improvements outside of the existing maintained area)
Ensure the availability of alternate public transportation routes so that capital improvement/maintenance projects do not impede commuting for public-transportation dependent communities.
