Extreme heat events are increasingly challenging transportation systems worldwide, with impacts ranging from damaged infrastructure to shifts in user behavior and new pressures on transport workers. Roads, railways, airport runways, and public transit networks are all being affected by higher temperatures. These changes threaten the safety, reliability, and inclusiveness of transport services.
A new report titled "Heatwaves and Their Effects on Transportation Systems: A Comprehensive Review" compiles scientific evidence to quantify how extreme heat affects various transport assets and operations. The report identifies areas where data is robust as well as significant gaps, particularly in low- and middle-income countries that face both rapid infrastructure growth and rising climate risks. It examines the physical, operational, and behavioral impacts of heat across different modes of transportation including roads, railways, air travel, public transit, and active transportation.
The study also looks at how factors such as income level, age, and gender can worsen the effects of heatwaves for both users and transport workers. These factors influence exposure to risk, vulnerability to harm, and capacity to adapt. According to the report: "It emphasizes that the consequences of heatwaves extend beyond infrastructure performance — influencing who can travel, how safely they can do so, and under what conditions. Recognizing these interactions is essential to designing transport systems that not only withstand higher temperatures but also protect the people who depend on and sustain them."
An accompanying issue note titled "Preparing Resilient Transportation Systems for Heatwaves" summarizes key findings about how heatwaves affect both infrastructure and human behavior. The note outlines mitigation and adaptation strategies for building resilience into transportation systems. For example: "Cooling strategies for pavements may reduce surface degradation but can also reflect heat toward pedestrians; similarly, rail and aviation safety protocols to mitigate heat stress can lead to reduced service hours, with economic and social ripple effects." Key recommendations include assessing critical vulnerabilities in existing systems; applying flexible adaptation pathways; advancing equity considerations related to extreme heat; improving governance around extreme weather events; and following a phased approach toward developing resilient systems.
By bringing together evidence-based insights with practical recommendations for action, this work aims to support efforts toward safer operation of transportation networks in a warming world. The report stresses that preparing for extreme heat requires an integrated approach—aligning infrastructure design with workforce safety measures while considering user experience throughout prediction, preparation, prevention, and recovery phases.
The research was developed collaboratively by experts convened by the World Bank Group (WBG), Global Facility for Disaster Reduction & Recovery (GFDRR), and Purdue University.