Across the United States, weather-driven disruption is no longer an episodic challenge but a persistent condition reshaping public investment priorities. Intensifying rainfall, rising seas, prolonged heat, and expanding wildfire zones are placing unprecedented strain on aging infrastructure systems that were never designed for today’s climate realities.
Federal data shows that billion-dollar weather disasters now occur multiple times each year, while state and local governments face mounting costs tied to flood damage, emergency response, and deferred maintenance. As a result, resilience planning has shifted from a long-range aspiration to a near-term necessity. Communities are accelerating design, engineering, and procurement schedules for flood protection, stormwater upgrades, fire response facilities, and coastal defenses, creating a growing pipeline of capital projects expected to create an abundance of contracting opportunities for private sector firms in 2026, 2027 and beyond.
Officials in the city of Salem, Oregon, are partnering with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to make the city’s Center Street Bridge earthquake ready. The bridge, which crosses the Willamette River to connect downtown Salem to Oregon’s highway system, is a high-traffic bridge in a location with high seismic activity. The seismic resilience project will occur in two phases, which have significantly expanded in the past year. The first phase is estimated cost up to $200 million for design and construction.
Phase 1 will work on the sections of the bridge that cross the river, along with two access ramps for the bridge on the Salem side. It will enlarge bridge supports to stabilize the bridge, and the work will call for strengthening the river-spanning section. The project’s expanded scope also includes replacing and upgrading an existing waterline and fiber-optic line that is attached to the bridge. This plan will allow ODOT to reconnect West Salem to critical services and major highways. Phase 1 construction solicitations are scheduled for early 2026, with construction starting in Summer 2026. Phase 2 will occur in the coming years.
Another example of this shift is underway in Miami, where city officials have announced a citywide flood mitigation program to address increasing risks from extreme rainfall, hurricanes, and sea level rise. Early work will focus on the East Little Havana neighborhood, an inland area bordering the Miami River where approximately 61% of homes are vulnerable to flooding. Planned improvements include major stormwater infrastructure upgrades such as new inlets and piping, upsizing existing pipes, and installing exfiltration trenches and gravity drainage wells designed to allow water to discharge without mechanical pumping. In areas where gravity drainage is not feasible, the city plans to construct a new stormwater pump station that will be supported by injection wells. Roadway reconstruction will complement the stormwater work, including upgraded streets, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters that are designed to improve surface drainage and water conveyance during heavy rainfall. Collectively, the improvements are expected to reduce flood risk for more than 1,200 properties.
Similar flood challenges are driving a large-scale mitigation initiative in Austin, where officials are advancing a project expected to exceed $100 million in Hyde Park and North University neighborhoods. The area was developed decades ago over historic creek and tributary alignments that were likely diverted underground as roads and structures were built. Today, intense rainfall overwhelms the undersized stormwater system, resulting in recurring surface flooding. Planned improvements include replacing or upsizing approximately 20,000 linear feet of storm drainpipe, modifying the Triangle Pond discharge point, and upgrading two primary stabilizing structures. Debris blockers will be added to reduce clogging, underground utilities will be relocated as needed, and a combination of above and below ground detention will be constructed to slow and store runoff. Streambank stabilization is also planned to reduce erosion and downstream flooding impacts. The project remains in the design phase, with construction anticipated to begin no earlier than 2028.
On the West Coast, flood risk is compounded by rising sea levels and seismic vulnerability. In San Francisco, city officials are advancing plans for flood protection work along the downtown waterfront that serves as a line of defense against extreme bay water levels, storm surge, and seismic events. The project carries an estimated cost of approximately $95 million and includes a combination of raising existing floodwalls and seawall elements, constructing new floodwalls and deployable barriers to protect transit and utility access points, and elevating shoreline and promenade areas where wall construction is not feasible. Additional elements include seismic strengthening, stormwater and interior drainage improvements to prevent inland flooding during high tide or storm events, and coordination with regional transit agencies to protect underground rail infrastructure. Nature-based and public realm features are expected to be incorporated where feasible. The project is currently in the planning phase, with construction projected to begin in 2028.
While flood mitigation dominates many resilience investments, wildfire risk is also driving major public safety construction. In Boulder, officials are advancing a $25 million replacement of Fire Station 2 to address escalating wildland urban interface risks and climate driven emergency conditions. The new station will serve the University of Colorado Boulder and University Hill area, one of the city’s highest wildfire risk zones, while strengthening Boulder Fire Rescue’s frontline response capabilities. The existing facility no longer meets modern operational or safety standards. The replacement station will be designed specifically for wildland urban interface conditions and will support both structural and wildland firefighting. Planned features include improved decontamination spaces to reduce firefighter exposure risks, dedicated gear washing and storage areas, training and fitness spaces, modern bunk and kitchen facilities to support 24-hour operations, and infrastructure designed to accommodate long term staffing growth. The project is currently in design, with construction anticipated to begin in late 2026 and continue through 2028.
Along the Southeast coast, long-term coastal protection is taking shape in Charleston, where officials are advancing a $1.3 billion coastal storm risk management initiative. The city led program is focused on protecting the peninsula from flooding, storm surge, and sea level rise while preserving historic and environmental resources. Planned improvements include floodwalls and seawalls along the most vulnerable waterfront areas, rehabilitation of existing Battery defenses, installation of flood barriers, upgrades to the stormwater system, and select other potential solutions to reduce coastal surge impacts. The project will be delivered in multiple phases. It entered preconstruction, engineering, and design in late 2025 and, due to the project’s size, design development and environmental reviews may continue through 2027. Construction procurement activities will begin as soon as possible after that.
What is clear from these initiatives is that the need for resilience driven infrastructure will not subside anytime soon. Climate pressures are increasing faster than repair cycles can keep pace, and that is pushing governments toward proactive investment rather than reactive recovery. Flood mitigation, wildfire preparedness, coastal protection, and resilient public facilities are becoming core responsibilities of municipal governance rather than isolated initiatives. For contractors, designers, engineers, and many other types of solution providers, the opportunity landscape will continue to expand as agencies seek partners capable of delivering durable, adaptable, and future ready infrastructure. The projects moving forward today represent the early stages of a sustained national effort to reduce risk, protect citizens and communities while also stabilizing public assets in an era of accelerating environmental change.
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