TRANSPORTATION INSIGHTS | 8

SUMMARY OF AN ACRP INSIGHT EVENT
May 7–8, 2025 | Washington, DC

Preparing U.S. Airport
Infrastructure for
Weather Events

Rhea Hanrahan, Rapporteur
Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc. (HMMH)

Organized by the
Airport Cooperative Research Program
Transportation Research Board

Sponsored by the
Federal Aviation Administration

Transportation Insights 8

ACRP Project 11-08(24-02)
ISBN 978-0-309-60355-3

© 2026 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

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NOTICE

This summary was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

This event was organized through TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) and sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed or implied in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

Suggested citation: Transportation Research Board. Transportation Insights 8: Preparing U.S. Airport Infrastructure for Weather Events. Summary of an ACRP Insight Event, May 7–8, 2025. Washington, DC: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2026.

The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

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The Transportation Research Board is one of four centers of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to mobilize expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges. The Board’s varied activities annually engage more than 5,500 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state departments of transportation, federal agencies including component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.

Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

ACRP Insight Event Project Panel

Melissa Sabatine, Jacobs, Chair

Travis Bryan, Boca Raton Airport Authority

Augustus L. Hudson, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Lance Sherry, George Mason University

John Walewski, Texas A&M University

David Weingart, GRA, Incorporated

Leah Whitfield, The Aviation Planning Group

Xue Li, FAA Liaison

Melinda Z. Pagliarello, Airports Council International–North America Liaison

Transportation Research Board Staff

Marci A. Greenberger, Program Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program

Jordan Christensen, Senior Program Officer

Brittany Summerlin-Azeez, Program Coordinator

Publications Staff for Transportation Insights

Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications

Brian Haefs, Associate Director of Publications

Kristin C. Sawyer, Editor

Jennifer J. Weeks, Publishing Projects Manager

Jennifer Correro, Assistant Editor

ACRP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE*

CHAIR

Cathryn Stephens

Eugene Airport

VICE CHAIR

Chad Makovsky

City of Phoenix (Arizona)

MEMBERS

Clara Bennett

Boca Raton Airport Authority

Lee Brown

JetBlue

Melissa Cooper

Kansas City Aviation Department

Marianne Csaky

LanzaJet

Darryl Daniels

Jacobsen Daniels Associates

Kimberly A. Kenville

University of North Dakota

Lance Lyttle

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Ramon Ricondo

Ricondo and Associates, Inc.

Atif Saeed

Philadelphia International Airport

Jesus H. Saenz, Jr.

San Antonio Airport System

Jessica Sypniewski

Federal Aviation Administration

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Justin Barkowski

American Association of Airport Executives

[Vacant]

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Laura Rinaldi McKee

Airlines for America

Christopher J. Oswald

Airports Council International–North America

Gregory Pecoraro

National Association of State Aviation Officials

T.J. Schulz

Airport Consultants Council

Victoria Sheehan

Transportation Research Board

SECRETARY

Monique R. Evans

Transportation Research Board

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2026 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*

OFFICERS

CHAIR: Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre

VICE CHAIR: Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC

MEMBERS

James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ

Marsha Anderson Bomar, Strategic Transportation Advisor, GHD, Duluth, GA

Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL

Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul

Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington

Andrew Fremier, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco, CA

Martha Grabowski, Professor Emerita, Information Systems, Le Moyne College, Madden College of Business and Economics, Cazenovia, NY

Edward Hassinger, Director, Missouri Department of Transportation, Jefferson City

Shante Hastings, Cabinet Secretary, Delaware Department of Transportation, Dover

Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston

Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA

Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta

Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

Leslie S. Richards, Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Tracy Larkin Thomason, Director, Nevada Department of Transportation, Carson City

Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Derek Barrs, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Steven G. Bradbury, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC

Stephen Carmel, Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration, Washington, DC

Tara Cavalline, Professor, University ofNorthCarolina, Charlotte, andChair, TRBTechnicalActivities Council

David Fink, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC

Firas Ibrahim, Director, Office of Research, Development, and Technology, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, Washington, DC

Jason Kelly, Deputy Commanding General for Civil Works and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC

Sandra Knight, President, WaterWonks, LLC, Washington, DC, and Chair, TRB Marine Board

Sean McMaster, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC

Marcus J. Molinaro, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC

Jonathan Morrison, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Seval Oz, Senior Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, Washington, DC

Niloo Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Participants Council

Paul Roberti, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Washington, DC

Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC

__________________

Contents

Preface

Acronyms

Introduction

Opening Remarks

Melissa Sabatine, Marci A. Greenberger, Jordan Christensen

Day 1 Keynote Address

Sunny Wescott

Panel Discussions

Panel 1: Case Study: Hurricane Helene’s Impact on Airport Infrastructure

Travis Bryan, Moderator, Jason Schronce, Lexie Farmer, Richard A. (Ricky) Rushing III

Panel 2: Opportunities for Stakeholder Coordination and Partnerships

Meredith Pringle, Moderator, Hollie Schmidt, Jason Bird, Peter Schultz, Steve Nagy

Facilitated Large-Group Check-In Discussions

Panel 3: Funding Pathways for Infrastructure Projects

Melinda Z. Pagliarello, Moderator, Patty Clark, Danelle Peterson, TJ Schulz

Speaker Sessions

Speaker 1: Building Airport Resilience from Lessons to Action

Sandy Hertz

Speaker 2: AI and Airport Infrastructure: Deep Dive

Brian Bothwell

Day 2 Keynote Address

Erin Cooke

Small-Group Facilitated Discussion: Problem Statement Poster Creation and Sharing

Jordan Christensen, Converge Strategies LLC Team, HMMH Team

Closing Remarks

Melissa Sabatine, Marci A. Greenberger

Appendix A: Insight Event Registrants

Appendix B: Program Agenda

Preface

“Preparing U.S. Airport Infrastructure for Weather Events,” held May 7–8, 2025, at the Keck Center of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC, promoted collaboration and fostered innovation among participants, including airport staff, airport-industry practitioners, academia, and other aviation and subject matter experts. The event focused on preparing airport facilities, infrastructure, and human resources for unexpected weather events. The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB’s) Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) organized the event under ACRP Project 11-08(24-02) as part of its series of convening activities titled “ACRP Insight Events.”

ACRP is an industry-driven, applied research program that develops near-term, practical solutions to problems faced by airport operators. ACRP is managed by TRB, a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP Insight Events are forums that foster dialogue among professionals across sectors, institutions, and industries. ACRP Insight Events convene airport industry leaders and subject matter experts in various fields to encourage discussion and promote broader and deeper insight on topics of significance to airport operators. These in-depth, face-to-face gatherings are designed to promote communication and collaboration, foster innovation, and help identify areas of future interest and research, especially for topics of emerging importance.

This Insight Event report, prepared by rapporteur Rhea Hanrahan, HMMH, is a compilation of the presentations and a factual summary of what occurred at the event. The principal investigator, Meredith Pringle, Converge Strategies LLC, and the research team for the event were solely responsible for organizing “Preparing U.S. Airport Infrastructure for Weather Events,” including developing the event agenda, handling communications, and facilitating the event. The views contained in this Insight Event summary are those of individual ACRP Insight Event participants and do not necessarily represent the views of all participants, the organizers, TRB, FAA, or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

This document was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. Independent reviewers provided candid and critical comments to assist TRB in making the published summary as sound as possible and to ensure that the document meets institutional requirements for clarity, objectivity, and responsiveness to the project charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

TRB thanks the following individuals for their review of the summary: Amy Liu, Philadelphia International Airport; Amber McNair, AV McNair, LLC; and Melissa Sabatine, Jacobs. Although the reviewers listed provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they did not review the final draft of the summary before its release. Responsibility for the final

Acronyms