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Introduction: Restoring the Transport Sector after a Disaster

Transport infrastructure and services underpin the economic growth and social development of any country. When the transport network is disrupted, from a natural disaster or other event, the consequences can be widespread, including halting the productive sector and thus increasing the cost of goods; preventing people from accessing critical services, such as health care; delaying the restoration of key sectors, such as water and energy supply; and stalling reconstruction. Damages may be sustained to physical assets, such as roads and vehicles, leading to economic losses for owners and operators of transport assets and services, as well as losses to other sectors when breakdowns in transport links lead to higher costs and reduced economic activity.

Disruptions in transport links for any extended period of time affect local communities and their ability to recover, as well as more broadly a country’s economic health. For this reason, restoring the transport sector after a disaster is essential to the overall recovery process in the aftermath of a disaster.

Disasters pose a real threat to the viability of the transport network, yet in their aftermath, they also present an opportunity to reduce risks, strengthen resilience, and eventually build back better (BBB).2 This may include relocating transport infrastructure outside of flood zones or designing structures so that they are better able to endure the next storm or river flow, thereby enabling faster recovery. The International Recovery Platform defines the recovery phase as “the restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of facilities, livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors. The recovery task of rehabilitation and reconstruction begins soon after the emergency phase has ended, and should be based on preexisting strategies and policies that facilitate clear institutional responsibilities for recovery action and enable public participation.

Recovery programs with heightened public awareness and engagement after a disaster, afford a valuable opportunity to develop and implement disaster risk reduction measures and to apply the ‘build back better’ principle.” BBB enhancements, if thought out well, can reduce maintenance costs for a transport asset or system and, in the event of a disaster, result in lower damages, losses, and recovery needs. In some cases, BBB enhancements can also require significant resources, time, effort, and design and may not be able to happen during the recovery period, as transport authorities are focused on restoring the network to basic levels of service. In this case, transport officials can begin to think about what is possible and needed going forward and incorporate these into development plans. from future disruptions. While disasters can highlight shortcomings in planning, design, and materials used to construct assets, they also present an important opportunity to rectify deficiencies and move toward more proactive risk management and lifecycle maintenance of transport assets and infrastructure.
Transport systems that are built well the first time and are well maintained are likely to sustain less damage from natural disasters or climate change impacts. When the transport network incurs less damage, the costs of rebuilding the structure is reduced, making more resources available for investment in more stable and adapted systems. If a disaster strikes, a still-functioning transport system can be the lifeline to allow for the protection and revitalization of people and other sectors, like telecommunications, energy, and other essential service delivery.

This Guidance Note is intended to provide action-oriented guidance to government officials facing post-disaster recovery challenges related to the transport sector. The Guidance Note frames the scope of recovery work, including the administrative elements for setting up a planned and organized recovery of the transport sector, the implementation activities required to restore the transport network, and recommendations for investing in systems preparedness and physical asset resilience. The Guidance Note offers best practices, case studies, and tools that can help transport officials identify entry points for building resilience and building back better, as well as guidance for how to undertake a more effective and better-coordinated recovery of the transport sector. The Guidance Note is not meant to be prescriptive nor represent actions that are appropriate across all disaster scenarios or cultural, governmental, and socioeconomic contexts. Rather, it is meant to offer critical considerations along with guidance and best practices from which an appropriate response may be formulated.
This note is accompanied by an extensive reading list that is available on the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery’s (GFDRR) Recovery Hub website, under the Transport section.