MARTREC Data from Visualizing Sea Level Rise Impacts in Transportation Planning

This research focuses on a study area in Fort Lauderdale--a two-block stretch of Las Olas Blvd. between Southeast 9th Ave. and Southeast 11th Ave. where researchers expect mean high tides up to 36 inches higher in the year 2100. The project investigates a community planning process in which a combination of high- and low-tech visualization methods—a Geographic Information System (GIS) and a human artist—was used to increase public participation and draw out local knowledge which helps the decision-making process for the future. Mixed reality technologies such as Microsoft Hololens (augmented reality) and Samsung VR Gear (virtual reality) offer immersive educational and engagement experiences, which may convey information in a more meaningful way. Using a quasi-experimental methodology of before-and-after surveys, we compare the degree to which virtual reality technologies improve
(or impede) constituents’ absorption of information regarding sea-level rise risks to roadway infrastructure in their communities.