Skip to main content (Press Enter).
Login
Skip auxiliary navigation (Press Enter).
Australasia Home
Divisions
Canada
Contact
Skip main navigation (Press Enter).
Toggle navigation
Content types
Announcements
Blogs
Communities
Discussions
Events
Site Content
Libraries
Date range
on this day
between these dates
Posted by
ABOUT
About IPWEA
History
Mission & Vision
IPWEA Board
IPWEA Staff
Divisions
Canada
Young IPWEA
Corporate Info
2019 Excellence Awards
Contact
Membership
Join
Renew
Emeritus Members
Member Testimonals
Member Directory
Communities
Asset Management
Fleet & Plant
Parks & Facilities
Young IPWEA
NAMS Canada
All Communities
Join Communities
Events
Upcoming Events
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Upcoming Webinars
Events by Community
Inhouse Training
Events by Division
Event Photo Gallery
NEWS
inspire magazine
intouch enews
Fleet intouch enews
IPWEA blogs
IPWEA Media Kit
Media
Press Releases
In the News
Social Media
Industry News
SLSC Spotlight
Publications
Bookshop
E-BOOK Library
Downloading e-books
Library
CAREERS & NETWORKING
My IPWEA
IPWEA Jobs Board
About Hoopla4Jobs
Current Vaccancies
Place Job Ad
All IPWEA Community Forums
Ask Your Mates Open Forum
Young IPWEA
YIPWEA Coffee Cup Challenge
Engineers Australia
Create IPWEA Web Account
View/Update Your Subscriptions
What is the future of roads asset management?
By
intouch
posted
07 March 2018 15:19
Options Dropdown
1
Recommend
Ross Goyne
What innovative road maintenance technologies are emerging internationally? How will data change the way we manage roads, and how can we incorporate more environmentally-friendly surfacing solutions into our roads?
This week, IPWEA brought a panel of industry experts together to discuss the future of roads asset management, tackling big issues that have the potential to transform roading outcomes for the community.
The roundtable participants included:
Murray Erbs, Chair, NAMS.AU, IPWEA Australasia
Nandini Mehta, AUS-SPEC Manager
Ross Ioakim, Sector Lead, Local Government and Airports, Infrastructure Services, Downer Group
Peter Shields, Technical Services Manager, City of Sydney
James Erskine, Senior Pavement Engineer, Pavement Management Services
Jacquie Hansen, Civil Engineer, Asset Management Working Group Facilitator
Don’t miss the Future of Roads Asset Management Roundtable in the next IPWEA
inspire
magazine, available to members in early April.
A regional perspective
With unsealed roads making up about 80% of Australia’s road network, the roundtable recognised the unique challenges facing regional councils and road authorities in change of these vast, hungry assets.
Prior to the roundtable, Jacqui Hansen held a brainstorming session with the Orana Region Councils Asset Management Working Group; a collective of asset management practitioners from the 13 councils in the west and far west of NSW. The following points were the ‘burning issues’ in roads asset management from the perspective of the Orana group:
Data collection
Councils are required to collect data every three years, and need practical help to improve their data collection processes. Would it be possible to develop a standard method of data collection that councils could follow?
Some councils don’t have data recorded on maintenance costs that is adequate for life cycle decision making. It is aggregated together. There is no industry standard or minimum. Would it be possible to develop guidelines on how road maintenance data should be recorded to inform Council’s decision making?
Special Schedule 7 ratios could be refined to make them more useful to council’s decision making.
Lack of standardisation
There is a general lack of standardisation across the industry. For instance, still no standard road hierarchy or standard definitions. Even the amongst the Orana Region, there is resistance to adoption of the Regional Roads Hierarchy at some councils.
There's a lack of support from councillors and senior management
Advice from AM practitioners to councillors and senior management, on needs based renewal is not being heeded. Councillors bow to political pressure, not what is best for the long term sustainability of the road asset. More education required to increase councillors’ understanding.
Sealing unsealed roads
On-going pressure to seal unsealed roads. Sealing unsealed roads is unaffordable in most circumstances. This situation is not helped when a council can receive grants for new assets but no grants are available to maintain existing assets.
Is it cost effective to seal an unsealed road? Could a third party organisation, such as IPWEA, compare the life cycle cost of a sealed versus unsealed road? Let’s resolve this issue once and for all.
External funding
External funding for regional roads is stagnant yet costs associated with road renewal and maintenance are increasing. It is very difficult for councils to rehabilitate regional roads as required for long-term sustainability, as external funds are the only source of capital works funding for regional roads.
Staff retention
It is very difficult to attract and retain skilled staff in rural and remote areas.
Do you agree with the Orana group’s concerns? If you’re an IPWEA member you can comment below.
2 comments
25 views
Permalink
Comments
Please log in to add a comment.
T: 1300 416 745
E:
admin@ipwea.org
Skip Navigation Links
Code of Conduct
Privacy
Subscribe
Copyright 2019 Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia. All rights reserved.
Powered by Higher Logic