Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
BOX 5.3 INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS IN CHICAGO
One of the few detailed analysis of potential economic costs of a range of climate change
scenarios for transportation infrastructure has been conducted for the city of Chicago (Hayhoe
et al., 2010).
Chicago has experienced impacts from weather extremes, when city streets buckled and
rail lines warped during the record-breaking 1995 heat wave; or in 1996, when 17 inches of rain
fell in a single 24-hour period, with a total estimated cost of flood losses and recovery of $645
million (Changnon et al., 1999).
Impacts of changes in mean and extreme temperature and precipitation on Chicago's public
transit, maintenance and construction of roads, highways, bridges, and canals, and airport opera-
tions are estimated at $3.3 million under an approximate 2°C change in global mean temperature
and $5 million under a 4°C change (Figure 5.13a). Estimates for building-related expenses under
higher temperature change are likely to be 10 times greater (conservatively $20 million) than
under lower (Figure 5.13b). Values are based on only the sensitivities city officials were aware of
based on past conditions and events.
regions, such as the Southwest (Miller et al., 2008). Projected increases in
peak electricity demand in particular raise concerns regarding electricity
shortages, as risk of shortages may increase with both mean and extreme
temperatures.
Electricity generation by fossil and nuclear power plants requires a large
supply of water, which may become limited during periods of drought. Al-
though thermoelectric power plants in the United States have not yet had to
reduce operations due to insufficient water supply, future water shortages are
expected to affect power production in a number of states (Wilbanks et al.,
2007). The reliability of energy supplies can be affected by the frequency of
droughts and accompanying heat waves, which increase the temperature of
the cooling water beyond what the plant may be permitted to release.
