The Atlanta Regional Commission is gearing up to fortify its infrastructure against the perils of a changing climate, courtesy of a $1.5 million boost from the Federal Highway Administration's coffers. This financial shot in the arm, part of the FHA's PROJECT Grant, is earmarked for concocting a comprehensive regional Resilience Improvement Plan, as reported by WABE.

With climate shenanigans playing merry havoc with river flows and rainfall patterns, Atlanta's very arteries of commerce—its roads and bridges—are feeling the strain. Danny Johnson, honcho of the Natural Resources Department at the Commission, lamented the reliance on antiquated storm intensity data when designing this crucial infrastructure. According to a statement obtained by WABE, "Most of the time, the design standards for these bridges and these crossings are using data from storm intensities from the past."

The grant will effectively bankroll research to ascertain how newer and sturdier built structures, as well as the existing infrastructure, can be tailored to withstand the brunt of climate impacts. Furthermore, as Johnson revealed to WABE, this will involve "incorporating new forecast models to assess what the likelihood might be in the year 2040, for instance, of the bridge or some crossings getting inundated with higher intensity storms."

However, floods are but one piece of the puzzle on the ARC's climate change resilience board. The heat is on as the commission turns its attention to examining how scorching temperatures can singe not just the hapless commuter at bus stops but also the very fabric of the city's roadways and rails. Roads and train rails that can buckle under extreme heat in the hands of ARC's team will also be studied for heat tolerance, as mentioned by WABE.

Set to kick off in 2025, this 18-month-long saga will involve soliciting insights from local governments, community partners, and the hoi polloi through comprehensive public engagement. At this endeavor's conclusion, the commission is expected to pinpoint a mix of short and long-term investments geared toward building a climate-resistant future for the 20-county ARC region.