Transportation Vulnerability and Resilience (TVAR)
Overview of the TVAR Program
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics launched the Transportation Vulnerability and Resilience (TVAR) Data Program. TVAR aims to provide data and tools to help local and state agencies assess and respond to natural, manufactured, and cybersecurity threats to transportation infrastructure. The TVAR program responds to the Transportation Research Board’s 2021 Consensus Study Report, which recommended the development and dissemination of data and tools to support decision-making for infrastructure resilience.
Coming soon
The TVAR Hub brings together data and tools to support transportation resilience across modes and sectors, as well as to improve access to data on manufactured and cybersecurity hazards. It curates a collection of data sources for assets, hazards, and criticality and provides additional resources such as profiles of resilience tools, other resilience-related data portals, case studies, and statistics.
Coming soon
The TVAR Hazard Exposure Layers provide a nationally consistent overview of transportation infrastructure and assets with geographic exposure to natural and manufactured hazards based on modeled likelihood and historic occurrence. This geospatial dataset enables decision-makers and practitioners to prioritize critical infrastructure like airports, docks, bridges, roads, and railways for further analysis.
As part of the TVAR Program, BTS is also addressing cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities in transportation by developing statistics and information to help decision-makers mitigate threats and strengthen system resilience. In partnership with key stakeholders, BTS is developing a new National Transportation Systems Cyber Statistics Program to provide data and information on the vulnerability and resilience of the U.S. transportation system against cyber threats.
Under Section 25003 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), BTS conducted outreach with local decision-makers. Based on listening sessions, BTS identified a key need for federal support in improving resilience and developed a Workplan to Provide Federal Support Local Decision-making.
Expert Task Group (ETG)
BTS launched outreach in Fall 2023, forming an ETG with state, regional, and local leaders to help guide the TVAR program. The ETG is composed of leaders from state DOTs, port and transit authorities, municipal governments, and regional planning agencies.
The ETG plays a critical role in guiding the TVAR program. Members provided input and guidance on the state of resilience planning through a series of in-depth work sessions. These sessions focused on evaluating transportation resilience data and tools, identifying gaps, and prioritizing needs. The ETG is also guiding the development of the TVAR Hub and pilot projects, ensuring that the TVAR program remains aligned with decisionmakers’ needs.
Technical Review Sessions
In Spring 2024, BTS hosted sessions with state, regional, and local transportation agencies to understand access, gaps, and needs for resilience data and tools. Participants included representatives from state DOTs, metropolitan planning organizations, counties, municipalities, port and transit authorities, and development agencies.
Federal Agency Outreach
BTS also engaged with USDOT modal administrations and other Federal agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), all of which provide or work with resilience data.