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Each garage across the United States hosts its own unique struggle when it comes to snow removal. Variables like road composite, plow speed, and road conditions vary from lane to…
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Sometimes relationships sour, and you know it is time to move on. But often the best course of action in a dysfunctional work family is unclear. Talented public works leaders have options, but figuring out what is right for you and your family, especially while still navigating an unhealthy workplace dynamic, can be very challenging. This presentation will offer advice and tips for surviving and thriving in a difficult work environment. We'll also discuss the best options for ""breaking up"" with your workplace, including anticipating, preparing for, and reacting to being laid off or fired.Learning Objectives:Know when their workplace relationships are ""on the ropes""Discover ways to improve a dysfunctional workplace.Handle a layoff or termination with grace and dignity.
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Traffic incidents caused by wrecks, breakdowns, hazards in the road and weather events happen every day. These incidents result in injuries, fatalities, billions of dollars of damages and delays in…
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By using pilot programs and conducting cost benefit analysis, the Village of Buffalo Grove has successfully re-written their winter maintenance plan, implemented BMP's for winter maintenance, reduced the amount of…
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The headlines say it all-on March 22, 2016, the LA Times headline read, ""Huge Cost Overruns on High Speed Rail."" On May, 25, 2016, the Boston Globe reported, ""Massive Delays to Anderson Bridge."" Project delays and cost overruns are endemic as public works acts to deliver public projects with ever-diminishing resources in an environment of public skepticism, staff cutbacks, and funding challenges. Agencies have become more and more dependent on the consultant community to provide project planning, design, and construction oversight. When the projects are completed, the consultants leave and take their expertise with them. How can we reverse this trend? Get tips for developing and sustaining an organization culture for project delivery; provide better oversight of consultants; develop strong agency project managers; manage a non-performing consultant; and deal with permitting agencies, the public, and other interests.Learning Objectives: Describe the state of project delivery amid the challenges facing public projects in today's climate.Recognize and take action to correct project delivery shortfalls.Develop strategies to better deliver public projects.
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This presentation will provide examples of tools and strategies that the City of Dunwoody has used to add over 10 miles of new bicycle facilities on existing roadways since incorporation in 2008. While some of the projects have involved major reconstruction of the roadway, the emphasis of this discussion will be techniques that are relatively low cost add-ons to pavement resurfacing projects. Early on city leaders established a goal of transforming the community, an inner suburb of Atlanta, into a more walkable and bicycle friendly environment. The city adopted a complete streets policy to consider accommodating cyclists not only on major transportation projects but also on pavement resurfacing projects. In implementing this policy the city has faced technical challenges and in some cases community skepticism and the presentation will provide specific examples of how design flexibility and proactive community engagement led to successful projects. In one example the city will show how it used tactical urbanism concepts from the city planning field to temporarily stage a road diet and pedestrian crossing in order to alleviate skeptic's concerns and gain community support. Example bicycle retrofit projects to be discussed include: a Restriping with narrower lanes a Minor road widening without curb and gutter a Moving curb and gutter in conjunction with sidewalk construction and resurfacing a Reconstructing a 4-lane roadway to a 2-lane roadway with bike lanes and wide sidewalks a Reducing 4-lane roadway to 2-lanes with a center turn lane and pedestrian refuge island a Adding a climbing lane a Designing a multi-use path adjacent to existing roadway The presentation will provide background information on the character of the city and its transportation system for context, provide an overview of the complete street policy, present several examples of implemented projects and discuss the city's response to common concerns from the community. During the question and answer period at the end of the presentation, the presenter will invite the audience to share challenges and creative solutions in their communities.Learning Objectives: Develop low-cost bicycle lane retrofit projectsImplement flexible design solutions for unique situationsEngage the community to build support for road diets and bicycle lane retrofits
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The Town of Easton, Massachusetts is opening its first public sewer system by using two very different public private partnership (P3) models to achieve their needs. The first two wastewater treatment facilities have resulted from unique and innovative financial and delivery models: 1. Ames Shovel Works Wastewater Treatment Facility: 50,000 GPD membrane facility with 3 groundwater recharge fields; publicly construction on private property, paid for (after grants) from 56% public funds and 44% private funds, private sector partner influenced faAade design, site layout, and construction coordination (truly where the ""partnership"" was tested). It is a public WWTF with the primary user being a private development. This P3 process requires Easements, Licenses, development agreement, MassDEP permits to be assigned, and many other ""up front documents."" This facility is operational. The Town learned many things which were applied to the next P32. Queset Commons Treatment Facility: 150,000 GPD membrane facility with 3 groundwater recharge fields; privately constructed on private property with investment from the Town. Town's capital costs for 50,000 GPD (1/3 of the facility capacity) is relatively fixed, the Town has 3rd party oversight abilities (beyond the standard building permit process) to ensure their investment ""value"" is not diminished. This P3 model required only a Development Agreement, there was no real town influence on easement, licenses, permits, etc. This facility is under construction with a phased start-up over time. The Town also learned many lessons that will strengthen their negotiating on future P3s.This presentation will highlight and contrast::The necessary level of design development for private construction versus public bid constructionThe different processes necessary to manage the risk for a public WWTF versus a private WWTFVery different cash flows and timelines for public versus private construction Many areas of overlap that future public & private owners should consider when looking at P3s.The conclusion will focus on how the different P3 Partners define ""value"" and how to bring those definitions together for a win-win partnership.Learning Objectives: Structure P3s that meet their community's needsNegotiate with private partners to achieve win-win P3sAnticipate and mitigate risks when entering a P3 for infrastructure development
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The City of Portage, Michigan, adopted a complete streets policy in 2015 to formalize the city's intent to plan, design, and maintain streets that meet the needs of all types of users. They will share what happens when you apply this concept to established neighborhoods. The construction of new sidewalks, bike lanes, and other facilities can be very invasive. Driveways need to be replaced, trees cut down, front yards torn apart. Using 'before and after photos' and design schematics to capture what words cannot, they've been able to show residents what to expect and get their support early on in the design stages. Budget challenges and cost analysis will also be described.Learning Objectives: Discuss the components of a complete streets policy and the challenges for implementing one.Budget for the unexpected when establishing a complete streets policy.Engage the public to gain support for complete streets.
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Fossils, politics, endangered species, and a landfill-the $127 million La Pata Avenue Gap Closure project in Southern Orange County, California, encountered more challenges than they could have imagined during the initial planning phases. Establishing a connection between two major cities over rugged, undeveloped backcountry terrain required significant collaboration between many political and influential interest groups; the relocation of a landfill to a new site; 15 million cubic yards of earthwork; 117,383 tons of asphalt; extensive environmental mitigation; and accommodation of archaeological finds.Learning Objectives:Successfully coordinate a massive roadway connection project.Overcome funding challenges with creative solutions.Engage communities, agencies, and stakeholders to gain support for a controversial project.
Read MoreThis session will discuss the process of how to construct a new athletic field from design, bid and installation and then how to develop a maintenance program to ensure safety and sustainability.
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