PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION: PRIORITY TOPIC MEMO
JULY 2024
A GUIDE FOR CREATING AN EFFECTIVE
RESILIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Enhancing the resilience of U.S. transportation systems, in line with
national security and resilience efforts, can strengthen U.S. capacity
to efficiently and effectively respond to and recover from major
transportation disruptions. This, in turn, protects national security,
economic stability, and the health and safety of the public.
The Case for Action
The U.S. transportation system, a key sector of the nation’s critical infrastructure as
outlined in national security efforts,
1,2
is pivotal to our economic stability, security,
and societal prosperity. The recent collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key
Bridge, along with the subsequent ripple effects, underscores the vital importance
of transportation resilience. This incident highlights our current challenges
in efficiently and effectively responding to and recovering from large-scale
transportation disruptions. Given the undeniable impact of transportation resilience
on the nation—and considering the multiple stakeholders across the private and
public sectors, each with their unique capabilities, regulations, and priorities—we
recommend that the next administration provide leadership, direction, and support
in aligning policies based on data-driven analysis and providing a framework and
expertise to execute upon these plans. This will ensure these stakeholders are
better equipped and coordinated to fortify our transportation infrastructure against
future disruptions, in line with the shared responsibility and risk-based approach
emphasized in current national efforts.
Key Challenges and Opportunities
Enhancing the resilience of the U.S. transportation system presents both
significant challenges and opportunities. These stem from the complexity of
the system, the diverse array of stakeholders involved, and the need for a
comprehensive risk assessment, all of which are recognized in current national
security and resilience efforts.
Clarification of Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities
One of the primary challenges is the need for further refinement, clarification,
and empowerment of the roles and responsibilities of the many stakeholders.
Real-world events, such as potential freight rail disruptions,
3
and simulated
exercises have revealed that roles, responsibilities, and authorities among these
The U.S.
transportation
system, a key sector
of the nation’s critical
infrastructure as
outlined in national
security efforts,
is pivotal to our
economic stability,
security, and
societal prosperity.
MITRE’s mission-driven teams are
dedicated to solving problems for a
safer world. Through our public-private
partnerships and federally funded R&D
centers, we work across government and
in partnership with industry to tackle
challenges to the safety, stability, and
well-being of our nation.
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