Crisis-proof transportation. How dual-use infrastructure is changing security thinking

On February 26, 2026, the Transportation Research Observatory operating at CUPT held a webinar entitled “Resilience in Traffic – Dual-Use Infrastructure in the Transportation System.” The focus was on the question of how to design transportation infrastructure so that it efficiently handles civilian traffic under everyday operating conditions, and supports security and defense operations in emergency situations.

 

Dual-use infrastructure. More than one purpose

 

Dual-use infrastructure are roads, railroads, bridges, ports, airports or hydro-technical facilities that perform typical civil functions in peacetime, and in the event of a crisis can also be used for state security tasks. It is as much about the potential use of the same infrastructure by different services as it is about the way it is designed: load-bearing capacity, technical parameters, location in the network, access to logistics facilities.

Participants in the webinar stressed that in a world of increasingly frequent extreme events, geopolitical tensions and growing interdependence between sectors, the classic distinction between “civilian infrastructure” and “military infrastructure” is no longer sufficient. The transportation system must be flexible, multifunctional and able to quickly switch to crisis mode – without losing its primary function of handling passenger and freight traffic.

 

Three axes of discussion: role, examples, public policies

 

The debate during the webinar revolved around three main blocks of topics: the importance of dual-use infrastructure, practical examples, and directions for public policies.

 

The role of dual-use infrastructure in modern transportation

 

Experts pointed out that the resilience of the transport system is not just about “densifying” the network or raising the technical parameters of individual facilities. It is equally important to plan investments in such a way that key elements of the network – transport corridors, nodes, bridges, terminals – can function effectively under both typical traffic conditions and emergency scenarios.

In practice, this means, among other things, designing alternative detour routes, providing redundancy at critical points in the network, or being better prepared to conduct logistical operations under capacity constraints. This approach reduces the response time of administration and services in emergency situations and reduces the risk of paralyzing key functions of the economy.

 

Application examples and resilience scenarios

 

The practice section discussed solutions that can increase the resilience of the transportation system to disruptions. Among them were:

 

• Multipurpose transportation corridors, combining civilian and potentially military functions,

• logistics solutions to keep strategic routes available during a crisis,

• modern operational support systems, such as advanced traffic management systems and real-time data analysis tools.

 

It was stressed that resilience does not always require spectacular “megaprojects.” Often, smaller investments made at the regional and local level are key: upgrading a bridge that becomes part of an alternative corridor, strengthening a local rail line, or retrofitting a terminal that can act as a backup logistics hub when needed.

 

Development directions and the role of public policies

 

An important part of the discussion was devoted to how to transfer the concept of dual-use infrastructure into the language of strategic documents, funding programs and planning practice.

 

According to experts, an effective transportation policy should:

 

• take into account the changing conditions of system operation – from normal operation to various crisis scenarios,

• integrate the security perspective with civilian planning as early as the investment concept stage,

• take advantage of available financing instruments that give preference to projects that strengthen military resilience and mobility within TEN-T and national transportation networks.