Imagine a powerful coastal storm and tidal surge that not only threatens coastal homes, but also floods the roads that are needed to evacuate residents to higher ground.

Well, we’d better plan on it, according to a report released yesterday by the National Research Council, the research arm of the National Academy of Sciences. The report looked at the potential impacts of climate change on transportation systems and, while not particularly surprising, says as clearly as possible that the time is now for Maine and other coastal states to plan and prepare.

“Potentially, the greatest impact of climate change on North America’s transportation system will be flooding of coastal roads, railways, transit systems, and runways because of a global rise in sea level coupled with storm surge and exacerbated in some locations by land subsidence,” the report says.

Look here for the report and here for the Associated Press story.

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