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Public works departments can become siloed within a vertical organizational structure and culture. At the same time, their central responsibilities have great overlap in the goal to serve their constituents’ and community’s infrastructure needs. But how can we functionally create this space when the vertical hierarchies and individual department mentality are ingrained in our organizations? Instead of only a vertical leadership channel, increasing the horizontal flow of information may create greater opportunities for innovation and efficiency. Pima County implemented a horizontal collaboration space across many public works departments, starting with our chief operating officers—those deputy directors who work with everyday operations managing staff and still need to bridge gaps between department mission and vision. This session will help participants look within their organizations for opportunities to create partnerships to increase collaboration and innovation, drawing on real-life examples.
Read MorePublic works professionals from around the country continue to solve the age-old problem of replacing and rehabbing poor structures while also preserving good ones. Developing that annual work plan where resources are limited has proven to be a much more streamlined task using state-of-the-art decision-making and project selection tools, as demonstrated by Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, and Berrien County, Michigan. As instructors of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Bridge Management Systems workshop, The Kercher Group has categorized these delivery methods into three categories: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. A walk-through of Raleigh, Durham, and Berrien County case studies will help public works professionals develop an implementable strategy that aligns with agency goals and APWA’s Asset Management Roadmap.
Read MoreThe Town of Ellington began experiencing contaminated wells in 2017, prompting them to take a close look at their winter material application. The findings were significant and prompted change. Several strategies were implemented to reduce salt usage and environmental impact. After the first year there were positive, noticeable results. These results were shared with the UCONN T2 and briefly with the NEAPWA. The strategies outlined can be adapted by any other town/state and will provide positive results.
Read MoreHonored with the first distinction of historical designation in the City of Phoenix, Arizona, the downtown Roosevelt Neighborhood has architectural milestones still visible today. As one of the first “streetcar…
Read MoreThis CLL will look at emerging technology for signal control systems that can identify bike and pedestrians’ movements and log this data both locally and in the cloud. The session…
Read MoreWhen snowflakes fly residents get worried. “Can I make it home?” “Where are the plows?” “When are they going to plow my street?” Clear and effective communication keeps residents informed and eases the anxiety that winter storms bring. In this session the speaker will demonstrate the importance of effective policy and procedure, and how that helps manage information. Using his own experience, the speaker will make the session practical by focusing on road condition information during a winter storm. He will lead a discussion regarding effective channels for distributing information to the public; show how his county uses SharePoint to maintain updated road condition information, and describe how using low-cost software can empower staff and others to collect road information.
Read MoreHigh Friction Surface treatments include a two-part application of an epoxy binder followed with placement of rough, hard, and durable aggregates on an existing roadway surface. These treatments reduce roadway departure accidents by increasing surface friction. Promoted by PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration, Allegheny County has used this treatment for the past few years and found it is a cost-effective safety treatment for strategic locations on roadways where friction needs to be maximized (such as steep grades or sharp horizontal curves). It provides texture to existing concrete or asphalt surfaces without sacrificing uniformity or rideability. Other public works agencies may find this treatment has value for their own assets.
Read MoreDo your suppliers or contractors fall short of expectations? Do you feel trapped in relationships with poor-performing suppliers due to low-bid requirements? Are your operations affected by reoccurring supplier/contactor issues? The key to having a Ready and Resilient public works operation is knowing you will have what you need to get the job done when you need it. This can often be a unique challenge in the public sector as low-bid procurement requirements can result in relationships with vendors who oversell and underperform. The Maintenance Support Team at the North Texas Tollway Authority has tried various ways to address these issues and improve supplier relationships to ensure they are always ready to respond. This session will cover the development and use of a basic vendor scorecard that aids in expectation communications, supplier accountability, and documentation to support issue escalation when necessary to improve the supplier relationship.
Read MoreDigital maps have changed the way we drive, locate a store, or even choose a restaurant. Multi-layer GIS (geographic information system) maps are also transforming how government agencies plan and manage their infrastructure assets, report information to stakeholders, and communicate with the public. With real-world examples from city, county, and state transportation agencies, this session demonstrates how to use GIS maps to improve decision-making, performance, and operational efficiency to deliver safer longer-lasting infrastructure.
Read MoreSince 2014 the City of Olathe has built an accurate inventory, complete with condition assessment and tracking of maintenance tasks. They’ve developed methods using Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (PACP) pipe inspections captured using WinCan VX to develop an Overall Condition Index (OCI). We also developed Consequence of Failure (CoF) criteria and minimum acceptable conditions for gravity pipes as a part of a sewer master plan. Together, OCI and CoF have allowed the city to model the business risk exposure (BRE) associated with the gravity sewer mains. Over the past seven years, the city has benefited through the synergy of diverse workgroups, which has allowed active ownership of the data and products it produces. Engineering staff is tasked with making strategic decisions on infrastructure replacement. For 2022, Engineering justified a 17% increase in capital sewer rehabilitation funding based on the results of their BRE process. Asset management has been an integral part of the city’s wastewater modus operandi.
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