Enhancing Coastal Resilience Through Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement
Mei-Ling Emily Feng, Yara Medawar, Maria Paula Otero Mora

 

Objective:

Global sea level rise along with storm surge from extreme weather is exacerbated by climate change in coastal areas, placing coastal communities at greater risk of more frequent and severe floods (Beck et al. 2013, Horton et al. 2014, Jacobs et al. 2018, Sweet et al. 2022). In the northeastern United States, sea level rise rates exceed the global average, exacerbating vulnerabilities in densely populated coastal areas (Horton et al., 2014; Oppenheimer et al., 2019). Coastal development continues to increase, intensifying the challenges posed by tidal flooding on vulnerable human and natural systems (Beck et al., 2013; Scott, 2018; Knighton et al., 2021; Stewart, 2020).

Tidal road crossings, crucial infrastructural elements, play a vital role in mitigating flood risks by facilitating the flow of tidal water underneath roads and railways (Moore et al., 2023). However, undersized or misplaced crossings can restrict tidal flow, exacerbating coastal risks by degrading wetland health and ecosystem services ​​(Anisfield et al., 1999; Gedan & Silliman, 2009; Gedan, Silliman, & Bertness, 2009; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2020). The complexity of addressing these challenges at crossings is further compounded by communication and coordination barriers among stakeholders, hindering the implementation of resilient projects at tidal road crossings. Despite the urgency highlighted by decision-makers to foster collaborative efforts, disjointed priorities and permitting processes persist, underscoring the need for integrated approaches to address the multifaceted risks associated with tidal flooding.

The aim of our study is to develop a standardized communication framework between conservation, community, and transportation decision-makers to repair and maintain infrastructure at tidal road crossings. This framework consists of identifying and mapping the alignment of these stakeholders’ priorities at tidal road crossings to identify common goals and areas for collaboration. We focus on a case study in coastal municipalities within the Greater Bridgeport Region of Connecticut, including Fairfield, Bridgeport, and Stratford, whose transportation ways and coastal marsh habitats are at the forefront of global drivers of risk at tidal road crossings. The specific objectives that our communication framework aims to achieve are:

1. Initiate collaborative discussions on tidal crossing management between conservationists and transportation planners to create co-beneficial solutions.
2. Communicate road flooding risks within local communities that derive from unequal power and resource distribution to tidal road crossing decision-makers.
3. Create a map which will identify common areas for collaboration among stakeholders at tidal road crossings, facilitating the alignment of stakeholders’ priorities and the identification of shared goals for effective cooperation

 

Methods and Progress:

To address the complex challenges surrounding tidal road crossings in the Greater Bridgeport Region we employed a multi-faceted approach that encompassed conceptual modeling, stakeholder analysis, community engagement, and spatial decision support software.

1. Conceptual Model and Stakeholder Analysis
   1. We conducted stakeholder interviews and literature reviews to develop a conceptual model of the dynamics of multi-stakeholder challenges at tidal crossings. We also performed a stakeholder analysis to prioritize key groups based on their involvement, interest, and potential impact on outcomes at tidal road crossings.
2. Stakeholder Engagement
   1. Through stakeholder interviews and a multi-stakeholder meeting that engaged community, transportation, and conservation leaders, we will continue to gather insights on stakeholder challenges, opportunities, priorities, and targets at tidal road crossings. During our multi-stakeholder meeting, we will lead participants through a group brainstorming exercise intended to foster collaborative decision-making at tidal road crossings.
3. Understanding Local Community Needs
   1. We are working with municipal leaders to distribute a survey to local road users, people who live, work, or travel locally in the region. This survey and a follow-up meeting with community members will be to assess community perceptions and needs regarding tidal road flooding. The results of this community feedback will be used to address communication barriers between road improvement decision-makers and community members with a lens on environmental injustice.
4. Identifying Stakeholder Priorities and Targets
   1. Stakeholder-specific priorities were identified and quantified based on interviews, literature reviews, and will be refined by stakeholder feedback during our multi-stakeholder meeting. Priorities that reflect the needs of local community members will be determined by the survey results.These priorities were translated into measurable targets to inform decision-making and quantified using spatial indicators.
5. Modeling
   1. We are using a spatial decision support tool, Prioritizr, to streamline stakeholder collaboration and prioritize co-beneficial solutions for climate change adaptation at tidal road crossings in the study region. We are integrating spatial indicators of  infrastructure, ecological, and social priorities to select crossing sites that meet stakeholder targets and will examine how sensitive these prioritized sites are to taking a co-beneficial versus individual stakeholder approach.