Civil engineering graduate student researches impacts of post-Helene road closures
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated much of western North Carolina, accessing critical supplies like water, food and gasoline was a challenge for people just beginning the recovery process. Road closures, washouts and obstructions made travel nearly impossible in some of the hardest-hit areas.
As the second anniversary of the storm approaches, civil engineering graduate student Kendrick Grant is researching how the road closures impacted residents’ efforts to reach water distribution sites. Because of infrastructure damage, many people living in and around Asheville did not have clean drinking water for weeks after the storm.
Grant is pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering with a concentration in transportation engineering. As part of his research, he was recently named a Mountains to Sea Fellow. The research is also funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).