What happens when a transportation system designed for everyday travel suddenly has to move hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of people under extreme time pressure?

Drawing on decades of research and experience with major hurricane evacuations, Dr. Brian Wolshon will examine how transportation systems perform when normal assumptions about travel demand, traffic operations, and traveler behavior break down. The seminar will explore evacuation planning and operations, roadway capacity and traffic management, traveler decision-making, safety, and the role of transportation agencies before and during major emergencies.

The discussion will also look beyond hurricanes: what can extreme events teach us about designing and operating transportation systems that are safer and more resilient to flooding, infrastructure failures, major incidents, and other disruptions?

Brian Wolshon, Ph.D., P.E., PTOE, is the Edward A. and Karen Wax Schmitt Distinguished Professor at Louisiana State University and Director of the Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency. His research focuses on transportation systems during emergencies and other extreme conditions, including evacuation planning and operations, traffic engineering, highway safety, and transportation resilience.

Dr. Wolshon is also a Wayne State University alumnus, having earned his B.S. in Physics from Wayne State before pursuing graduate study in civil engineering.

Hosted by the Wayne State University ITE Student Chapter and the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.