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Prairie Village, Kansas, is converting a golf and country club into a mixed-use development. The master plan calls for gardens, walking trails, large destination playgrounds, and tennis and pickle ball courts. It also includes 53 single-family homes, 70 duplex homes, 289 apartments, 120 person assisted living and senior care units and a 50-room hotel. The project brings with it the opportunity to improve drainage, provide more detention basins, and incorporate sustainable features. Explore how public works is involved in this complex project.
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To switch from dry material (sand or salt) usage to pre-wet salt and liquid anti-icing applications, several factors need to be considered: the type of equipment needed for pre-wetting and liquids application; approaches for staff training regarding the benefits of liquids and overcoming the “”we have always done it this way”” attitude; and the environmental impacts and benefits of using liquids.
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Seeking to continuously improve operational efficiency, transparency, and oversight, the City of Omaha, Nebraska, implemented status applications tracking real-time plow movement, route completion, and material usage. Expanded GPS options allow for public-facing websites showing operational status. We?ll share lessons-learned and best practices implemented.
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Join us for this overview of the fundamental performance properties of liquid deicers including: •How standard deicer chemicals compare in performance at different temperatures •The difference between ice-melting capacity and ice-melting rate and why that matters •How performance enhancing additives and blends affect salt brine performance •The effect different pre-wetting brines have on the ice melting performance of rock salt •The effect of traffic action on performance and chemical selection •Whether salt pre-wetted with magnesium chloride brine will damage concrete.
Read MoreColumbia Water serves 375,000 customers in the greater Columbia, South Carolina, area. They were experiencing an increase in negative community and media attention due to unexpectedly high-water bills or bills that fluctuated month-to-month. Their solution was to create a program that proactively engages customers providing information on billing, meters, and water quality. The goal is to give customers the tools they need to understand the water system, the billing process, and the impact that leaks can have on their bills. They are engaging the community through videos, booklets and other materials, and public meetings.
Read MoreWhile lots of leadership articles emphasize the benefits of having people with different skill sets, perspectives, and levels of experience on the team, in practice these differences can cause many day-to-day challenges. Individuals can butt heads about priorities and how to approach the work, or simply struggled to see eye-to-eye. Assessment tools can help teams name and discuss their differences in ways that can bring insight rather than frustration. This session will discuss several well-known assessment tools and their value in opening the lines of communication and pull individuals together into productive, engaged teams.
Read MoreRevenue and projections by state departments of transportation point to a real struggle in coming years to provide needed levels of funding for both state and local levels. A paradigm shift is looming. Join in this discussion of an alternative that could address our transportation funding shortages. Discover what studies in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California are showing about Road Usage Fees (RUF).
Read MoreThere is a growing need for municipalities to improve the ability to assess and address the risks of extreme weather events that impact infrastructure. This presentation will showcase a new innovative framework and network for managing infrastructure risk and climate change adaptation. Using machine-learning and advanced analytics can drive knowledge from available data that can be used to maximize the financial value derived from taxpayer dollars for more resilient infrastructure.
Read MoreDesigning and constructing ADA compliant curb ramps should be a straight-forward proposition. Right? This session will feature presentations from the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and the City and County of Denver, Colorado, highlighting aspects of their ADA compliance programs. • The City and County of Denver has completed a comprehensive inventory of approximately 57,000 pedestrian curb ramps at city intersections. The inventory includes the geometric data of each ramp and the data is being used to prioritize future programs to rehabilitate and upgrade deficient ramps to meet accessibility standards. • A construction manager from the City of Lee’s Summit will provide a down-to-earth perspective regarding the draft Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee (PROWAAC) Guidelines and how to ensure your agency can provide accessible curb ramps within geometric constraints.
Read MoreIn February 2017, the City of Independence, Missouri, adopted a strategic plan featuring a unified vision for infrastructure, economic development, and public safety. The first step was passage of a sales tax in August 2017, which was supported by 80% of the vote. This was a result of city leadership and the private sector coming together to present an innovative pathway that uses integrated project delivery. The two key pivotal projects provide connectivity to the historic downtown square from regional transportation hubs, the removal of blight, enhanced aesthetics, and multi-modal upgrades. Public works is leading the effort as the government department in-charge of deploying these improvements.
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