Managed Retreat

The Cape Cod shoreline is highly vulnerable to multiple hazards including erosion, coastal storm flooding, and sea level rise. Flooding is currently a regular event on several road segments during extreme high tides, and many more segments are flooded during storm events. Communities are identifying vulnerable roads and considering options including, in some cases, the relocation of that road segment. Also known as “managed retreat,” strategically relocating roads and road segments out of the path of coastal hazards poses many challenges for neighborhoods and communities. The Managed Retreat StoryMap is an education and communication tool intended to highlight the vulnerability of low-lying roads, provide adaptation strategies, and facilitate conversations around coastal resiliency. The tool provides details, case studies, and fact sheets about a variety of best practices for low-lying roads. The outreach section focuses on managed retreat best practices in environmental messaging and recommended talking points for town staff and planners managing the transportation planning process, and links to a more comprehensive communications frameworkthat was created to support outreach and communication with stakeholders. Additionally, the StoryMap features several existing tools and other resources that will be helpful to anyone managing the planning process to address low-lying roads.