A conversation with Tracy Fletcher, Emergency Management Administrator, Alabama Department of Transportation.
When disasters strike, whether hurricanes, floods, severe storms, or man-made incidents, transportation becomes the backbone of response and recovery. Roads must remain open for evacuation. Critical corridors must support hospitals and supply chains. Debris must be cleared quickly. And coordination across agencies must happen seamlessly.
Ahead of CIPRNA 2026, we spoke with Tracy Fletcher, Emergency Management Administrator and Operational Safety Administrator at the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), about maintaining continuity of critical transport infrastructure, coordinating across jurisdictions, leveraging technology, and preparing for emerging risks.
Tracy will be presenting at CIPRNA 2026 in the Transport Sector Symposium: https://ciprna-expo.com/session/transport-sector-symposium/
Ben Lane: Tracy, thank you for joining us. To begin, could you tell us a little about your background and your current role?
Tracy Fletcher: I’ve been in this industry for 26 years. I started my career with an engineering firm, where I spent about 10 years working on highway construction projects. That included everything from building new roadways to resurfacing projects and bridge construction.
After that, I transitioned into state service and have now been with the state for 17 years. Over that time, I’ve worked in several different areas of the department. I’ve overseen permitting for industry work within state right-of-way, managed our maintenance management program that tracks all maintenance activities statewide, and served at the district level, where I was responsible for maintenance and construction of state routes across multiple counties.
Since 2020, I’ve served as the agency’s Emergency Management Administrator and Operational Safety Administrator. In the emergency management role, I operate primarily in a logistical capacity. Whenever an event occurs, whether weather-related or man-made, I coordinate with our field teams, our “boots on the ground,” to ensure they have the resources they need. I also assist with tracking costs and securing federal reimbursement when eligible.
On the safety side, I focus on workforce safety and training. If we see patterns of injury or need additional training resources, I work with our training bureau to ensure employees have what they need to perform their jobs safely.
Ben Lane: How does ALDOT integrate with Alabama’s broader emergency management framework to ensure continuity of critical transport infrastructure during disasters?
Tracy Fletcher: ALDOT plays a primary role under Emergency Support Function 1 (ESF-1), which covers transportation within Alabama’s Emergency Operations Plan.
Under ESF-1, we are responsible for maintaining and restoring the state’s transportation infrastructure before, during, and after emergencies. That includes ensuring continuity of movement for emergency responders, critical supplies, and evacuation populations.
Integration begins long before an incident occurs. We participate in statewide planning and coordination with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. We attend planning exercises, establish communication protocols, and prepare for activation whenever the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) stands up.
When activated, ALDOT provides liaisons to the SEOC to ensure real-time coordination. Our operational focus includes monitoring and reporting road conditions, supporting evacuation route management, coordinating traffic control, clearing debris, and conducting infrastructure damage assessments.
After an event, we prioritize restoring critical corridors that support hospitals, ports, interstate supply chains, and other essential services. Because transportation underpins all other emergency support functions, our mission is to ensure safe and reliable access that enables lifesaving and recovery operations statewide.
Ben Lane: During large-scale events like hurricanes or floods, how do you prioritize and allocate resources across the state?
Tracy Fletcher: The key is balance. We must balance routine maintenance responsibilities with emergency operations, and that requires a structured, tiered approach to resource allocation.
During a major event, we shift into emergency operations mode using incident command principles. Our prioritization framework focuses on four core areas:
First, life safety. We ensure evacuation routes remain open and passable and that first responders can access impacted areas.
Second, critical infrastructure. We prioritize restoring access to hospitals, ports, power generation facilities, and major freight corridors.
Third, system stabilization. This includes addressing structural damage, washouts, signal outages, and debris removal.
Fourth, community access restoration. Once major routes are stabilized, we work to reconnect affected communities.
We also pre-stage personnel and equipment based on forecast models and historical risk patterns. State resources and contracts allow us to surge resources into heavily impacted areas quickly.
Clear communication and predefined trigger points are essential. They allow us to scale operations rapidly without compromising essential maintenance activities elsewhere in the state.
Ben Lane: Multi-jurisdictional incidents can be complex. What are the biggest challenges in coordinating with external stakeholders?
Tracy Fletcher: Three major challenges come to mind.
The first is information synchronization. Conditions change rapidly such as road closures, weather impacts, traffic congestion, and all stakeholders must operate from a common operating picture. That requires continuous updates and reliable data flow.
The second is role clarity. Transportation intersects with state, county, municipal, and federal systems. Clear delineation of authority and responsibility is critical to avoid duplication or gaps in response.
The third is cross-disciplinary communication. Law enforcement, emergency management, public works, and transportation each have distinct missions. Aligning priorities and ensuring effective communication in high-pressure environments requires strong pre-established relationships.
We address these challenges through pre-incident planning and regular exercises. For example, we conduct an annual contraflow exercise in coordination with law enforcement and the National Guard. During this exercise, we simulate converting a portion of interstate lanes to run entirely northbound to facilitate large-scale evacuation. Practicing that coordination each year strengthens our response capability.
We also embed liaisons in the SEOC to ensure face-to-face coordination during events, and we rely on the Incident Command System structure to provide clarity.
Ultimately, relationships built before disasters occur are often the deciding factor in effective response.
Ben Lane: Data and technology are transforming transportation management. How does ALDOT leverage technology to enhance safety and emergency preparedness?
Tracy Fletcher: We rely heavily on data-driven decision-making.
Our Road Weather Information System (RWIS) provides real-time monitoring of weather and pavement conditions. That is especially valuable during winter weather and severe storms.
Our Traffic Management Centers (TMCs) and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) help monitor traffic flow, incidents, and congestion. CCTV cameras and sensor networks provide live situational awareness, and many of our highway cameras are publicly accessible to assist travelers.
We also use GIS mapping and digital damage assessment tools post-event to provide real-time data from the field. Digital reporting platforms allow field crews to transmit incident updates and infrastructure status in real time. These systems also help us track labor, equipment, and material costs for recovery and reimbursement purposes.
Collectively, these technologies enable proactive resource deployment, optimized evacuation traffic flows, timely public information dissemination, and accelerated damage assessment and recovery planning.
Ben Lane: Workforce readiness is critical in emergency response. How does ALDOT approach training for maintenance and emergency operations personnel?
Tracy Fletcher: Our workforce is one of our most critical assets. Maintenance crews operate in hazardous and rapidly evolving conditions every day, and that baseline experience helps prepare them for emergency response.
We provide hazard recognition and situational awareness training, as well as equipment operation training. We contract with training providers who come onsite to train employees using the equipment they operate daily, which significantly enhances effectiveness.
We emphasize traffic control and work zone safety protocols, and we conduct both tabletop exercises and full-scale emergency exercises.
One of the most valuable tools we use is the after-action review process. After each significant event, we assess what worked well and what did not. Continuous improvement is essential.
We also emphasize cross-training to ensure operational flexibility and continuity when personnel are unavailable. Because ALDOT operates with a consistent structure statewide, we can move personnel between regions, and they can integrate seamlessly into operations.
Safety remains the foundation of all operations. Crews are trained to continuously assess risk and adapt to changing conditions while maintaining discipline.
Ben Lane: Looking ahead, what emerging threats or trends are influencing your planning for maintenance and emergency safety operations?
Tracy Fletcher: Several trends are shaping our planning.
Climate and weather variability are increasing the frequency and intensity of storm events, placing greater stress on drainage systems, bridges, and low-lying corridors. We are incorporating resilience principles into both maintenance planning and capital investments.
Evolving traffic patterns including freight growth, population shifts, and urban expansion are changing demand patterns. Ensuring evacuation routes and key corridors can handle surge capacity is a growing priority.
Technological advancements, including connected vehicle systems, automation, and advanced traffic analytics, are transforming how we monitor and manage the system. At the same time, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as transportation systems become more digitally integrated.
Workforce evolution is another critical factor. Recruiting and training personnel capable of operating advanced equipment and digital systems remains an ongoing priority.
Our long-term strategy integrates resilience, technology adoption, and interagency coordination to ensure Alabama’s transportation system remains safe, reliable, and adaptable in the face of emerging challenges.
Ben Lane: Finally, what message would you share with fellow critical infrastructure professionals as they look toward CPR 2026?
Tracy Fletcher: Transportation is foundational. When roads fail, response and recovery slow dramatically. Maintaining continuity of movement during disasters is not just about infrastructure, it is about enabling every other emergency function to succeed.
By investing in technology, training, interagency coordination, and resilience-focused planning, we can ensure transportation systems remain a stabilizing force during crises.
I look forward to sharing experiences and learning from others at CPR 2026 as we collectively strengthen critical infrastructure resilience across North America.
Ben Lane: Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at CIPRNA 2026.
Tracy Fletcher: Thank you.