Emergency infrastructure projects have a life of their own, shaped by a very human element at their core. In most cases, they involve communities impacted by natural disasters, such as flooding that washes out bridges or roadways. In more severe cases, residents can be displaced.

When the project team assembles, a strong sense of camaraderie emerges. Engineers, agencies, and contractors unite around the common goal of returning life to normal for residents as quickly as possible. Our team has been involved in several emergency infrastructure projects across Pennsylvania, working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the public, and other state agencies.

That community-first focus echoes what Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll alluded to at the 2025 Northeastern Association of State Transportation Officials conference, when he remarked that consultants and PennDOT engineers don’t boast about what they do, especially when it comes to emergency work. It’s not about recognition—it’s about restoring communities.

Urgency and Trust

Every member of an emergency project team understands the urgency of the work. Communication becomes much more frequent, and any differences that may exist within the group are set aside. The amount of correspondence is similar to a typical planning process, but it moves at a much faster pace because everyone is prepared to defer other priorities and focus on the critical task at hand.

The same principle applies to the administrative details. All non-critical paperwork and details are put on hold until later. In the moment, the priority is to open the bridge or restore the roadway—reconnecting the community. That’s where trust comes in. It’s knowing that the necessary documentation will be finalized once the immediate need is addressed. Everyone involved relies on each other to do their part, and that keeps the work moving forward with confidence.

Building Back Stronger

Opportunities can emerge to rebuild infrastructure in ways that address vulnerabilities revealed by the disaster. This requires a forensic approach to engineering—examining why a structure failed and using those insights to prevent it from happening again. Measures may include increasing the opening of a bridge or installing instream structures such as rock cross vanes to dissipate flow velocity.

Every member of an emergency project team understands the urgency of the work. Communication becomes much more frequent and any differences that may exist within the group are set aside." Curtis Sanno

To balance urgency with adequate planning, emergency projects are often staged in two phases. First, the immediate fix is delivered to safely restore conditions as near to normal as possible. That interim step provides the time needed to develop a resilient, long-term design that addresses the underlying risk factors.

This model was applied in 2024 for an emergency project in the town of Trout Run, Pennsylvania, which was devastated by historic flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Floodwaters washed out a bridge and destroyed part of the fire department building. Under an emergency declaration, we worked with PennDOT to reestablish continuity between the two sides of town by rerouting traffic flow across another bridge. Then, we designed a new bridge structure to restore permanent access and better withstand future events. We also consulted with PennDOT, township officials, the fire department, and the local transportation planning organization to develop potential traffic flow solutions that may be implemented in a future project.