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In this Point-Counter-Point debate-style presentation, two traffic operations engineers will explain why roundabouts are a leading design solution versus why traffic signals rule the intersection control world! Each side will present data on traffic volumes, traffic flow, safety, operations and maintenance, expandability and affordability for roundabouts in series versus intelligent traffic signal corridors. They report, you decide, in the Great Intersection Debate of PWX 2021.
Read MoreIn an era of data-driven decision-making, it is easy acquire data about so many things. The entire discipline of asset management is predicated on first acquiring condition data about your organization's infrastructure assets. But what about our most important asset, the people that do the work of public works? How do we know what our employees think of their own workplace? How do they feel about it? Find out how to measure the morale of your workgroup with a simple survey that directly informs management of what our co-workers think and feel about the workplace. Designed around Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the survey results instruct the manager on the best next step to take to improve morale in the workgroup.
Read MoreIn August of 2014, Washtenaw County Water Resources (WCWRC) adopted new rules requiring infiltration of the 90th percentile design storm for all new site plans. The rules permit an alternative of traditional detention storage at 120% of calculated 100-year storm capacity only if WCWRC determines that soils testing was adequate and found inadequate infiltration capacity. In 7 years, nearly 250 sites have been reviewed, and this presentation will describe the review requirements, stakeholder engagement process, outcomes, and win-win benefits to water resources AND the development community. Nearly 25% of sites have been able to eliminate detention and infiltrate the entire 100-year storm. By definition, using the 90th percentile storm (1″ in the study area) returns 90% of annual rainfall into the groundwater, a tremendous benefit to urban and suburban rivers, lakes and streams. Third party information will be provided to demonstrate that using the 90th percentile storm also provides more reliable TSS treatment than detention or mechanical separators. In most urbanized areas, communities require stormwater management with one major goal being reduction of impacts due to development. It is well known that detention basins can simulate pre-development runoff rates but they do not simulate pre-development conditions in five (5) areas. First, detention does not address added volume and thus contribute to downstream water quantity issues. Second, reduced infiltration from natural conditions is beneficial to water quality through groundwater recharge for cooler, stream inputs, steadier base flow, and TSS removal. Third, detention basins have fixed capacity and therefore very limited resiliency. Fourth, detention basins sized for 100-year storms tend to require 5-10% of the contributing land area. Fifth, think about every basin you have seen at an apartment complex and how many geese and ‘tootsie rolls’ you see surrounding them. Ewww.
Read MoreOn October 10, 2018, Bay County was struck by the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the United States. It was the first Category 5 hurricane on record to impact the Florida Panhandle and produced the nation’s largest debris disaster. The storm was attributed to at least 74 deaths and caused an estimated $25.1 billion in damages. Bay County, Florida, received the eye of the storm and the Public Works Department learned many important lessons both pre- and post-storm. Some of the lessons discussed in this presentation include: pre disaster staging; post-disaster staging; communications; FEMA paperwork and FEMA consultants; Disaster Management Sites (DMS); feeding and lodging staff and their families; emergency contracts; post-disaster traffic flow; FLAWARN; post-storm equipment needs; long-term recovery. Two years after Hurricane Michael, Bay County is still recovering, but plans are being put in place to help.
Read MoreTo meet the demand for 5G telecommunications, companies will be erecting hundreds of thousands of small cell towers–often TWO towers per streetlight in most communities. Most public Works agencies will do nothing, others have learned how to make MILLIONS from the opportunity and transform their agencies using smart technologies. Now, post-COVID-19, teleworking and the demand for 5G/broadband is skyrocketing. Installing hundreds of new towers in each city will create both incredible opportunities and unprecedented problems for public works officials. Many agencies are adopting innovative strategies to not only manage this “tsunami”, but are even partnering with the telecommunications companies, municipalizing, and re-purposing their street lights and traffic signal systems and charging for each of the hundreds, or thousands, of new towers, creating millions in new sources of revenue. Other cities have been even more visionary. They are “flipping” their annual streetlight systems from “must pays” (liabilities) to “cash cows”, or revenue streams. This session addresses these competing priorities: accelerating 5G: post-pandemic; creating resilient, critical “intelligent infrastructure”; ensuring healthy RF radiation levels; generating millions in new revenue; installing/leasing excess city fiber optics for cash; leasing streetlights as transmitter sites; improving traffic signal coordination; setting aesthetic standards; and futureproofing and Smart City strategic planning
Read MoreThis session details the experience of a large, full-service municipal public works department, the City of Olathe, Kansas, going through the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (DHS CISA) Protective Services and Cybersecurity Assessment processes. It features a roundtable including both public works and emergency management professionals as well as members of DHS CISA Protective Services and Cybersecurity groups. The discussion will have two areas of focus. First, participants will discuss specific critical areas of risk assessment, cyber security, employee safety, and continuity of operations. Specific attention will be paid to basic risk assessment principles, SCADA vulnerabilities, physical security and active shooter training, and second and third order threats to service delivery. Second, participants will have an open discussion on the DHS CISA assessment process as it pertains to the unique needs of public works, both areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Finally, the presentation will provide attendees the opportunity to hear from all three stakeholder groups involved in this process and gain an awareness of how this free program may be of benefit to their agency.
Read MoreRapid digital adoption driven by the pandemic has altered the traditional methods for engaging landowners and completing projects. This presentation addresses the challenges and benefits affecting real estate and land departments that formerly relied on in-person transactions. It includes suggestions for working with virtual open houses, electronic notary, online title work and virtual negotiation.
Read MoreMunicipal rights of way serve many public interests, A place for utilities is one of those interests. That ROW is becoming more crowded, filled with a mixture of scrap, abandoned…
Read MoreWinter weather forecasts can be exhausting, confusing and frustrating. There is always weather that you have to deal with or pay attention to in the extended forecast. Forecasts range from heavy snow, light snow, frost, freezing rain, ice, rain. Chances for weather are 20%, 50%, 75%. Forecasters are not always right but our industry still has to rely on weather forecasts to effectively do our jobs. In this session, we will discuss what to look for in a winter weather forecast, tools to easily get quality forecasts, methods to increase your winter weather forecast confidence, and ways to organize and easily communicate forecasts to your staff and leaders.
Read MoreWhen approaching the delivery of local services, collaborating with an outside partner can be extremely helpful for local governments. Collaboration occurs when two or more organizations work together, sharing the costs and benefits of a project to address a need in a way that achieves efficiency and effectiveness that would not be realized by one organization operating alone. It can be difficult to determine when a project is ripe for collaboration. This session highlights a decision tool that is designed to fill this need. Working through this decision matrix will assist local leaders in determining whether the conditions are right for collaboration on a project and if so, what form of collaboration will help local governments best achieve their goals. The tool is in two parts. The first part helps communities determine whether or not a collaborative arrangement is a good idea for the delivery of a specific service. The second part helps those that want to pursue a collaborative arrangement (as determined by part one) choose among the types of collaborative arrangements.
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