Abstract Manager

How can communities plan for safe, connected, and resilient mobility in an uncertain future? This presentation introduces a GIS-based decision-support framework developed for Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) that reimagines traditional Hazard, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessments (HRVA) through a transportation lens. Unlike conventional asset-focused risk assessments, the subdivision connectivity projects evaluates risk at the network level, integrating population characteristics, mobility, and geophysical constraints that influence movement within, into, and out of communities.

The presentation will focus on the technical development of the framework, which leverages Python toolboxes and graph theory to quantify network connectivity and identify vulnerabilities across four key streams: geophysical conditions, mobility, social factors, and infrastructure capacity. Within each stream, weighted variables are combined to produce individual indices, which are then synthesized into a Community Connectivity Index (CCI) - a scalable, repeatable measure of subdivision- and community-level evacuation resilience.

The framework produces municipality-wide mapping to communicate relative connectivity and risk, along with actionable recommendations for updating standards, policies, procedures, and infrastructure. By incorporating critical road networks in neighboring municipalities, the framework captures real-world travel and evacuation behavior that extends beyond municipal boundaries, providing a regional perspective essential for effective planning.

Designed for transportation and planning staff, Emergency Management and Fire Services, regional decision-makers, and the public, the framework demonstrates how advanced GIS modeling can bridge technical analysis and practical decision-making. By quantifying connectivity, highlighting vulnerabilities, and prioritizing interventions, this approach equips communities to navigate complex, uncertain scenarios, fostering safer, more resilient mobility systems for Canadian municipalities.