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When staff are limited and turnover is high succession planning is a must for a small city/rural community public works department. This panel discusses what succession planning looks like in…
Read MoreLiquids 101 described why we use liquids, Liquids 201 showed us how to use them, Liquids 301 detailed the benefits of using them. In Advanced Liquids we will examine the new ways in which liquids are being used in winter operations today, that are allowing agencies to achieve even more with them than traditional liquid usage. These methods include blending liquids, where small amounts (typically in the 5-10% range by volume) of enhancing liquids are added to a base salt brine. These blends include carbohydrates and other chlorides, to enhance persistence on the road and low temperature performance. We will detail the limitations of these blends and also their benefits, in particular their cost benefits, by examining both results from the laboratory and from field work. We will also discuss the growing trend of using liquid only routes, where under certain circumstances agencies have had great success using liquids not only before the storm but also all through the storm (instead of using pre-wet solid materials during the storm). Third we will discuss techniques where liquids can be used in conjunction with solids to handle difficult accumulations of snow and ice – an approach sometimes known as “shake and bake.” This is all backed up not only by research but also by field experience, and we will share both aspects with you fully.
Read MoreThere are few assets where a condition-based, “worst first” approach to maintenance and replacement leaves a public works agency more exposed. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is mandatory, and fines for not complying can be significant. Often, strategy documents don’t align with the in-the-field tactics of managing ADA assets like sidewalks and curb ramps. These facts make a risk-based approach to managing the sidewalk and curb ramps the right process. This presentation covers why a “worst first” approach to managing assets “like” or “such as” sidewalk and curb ramps is not a good approach. Experts will discuss methods for developing an inventory using modern Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Tools, and help participants define levels-of-service that align ADA Standards with their community’s priorities. The presentation concludes with examples of implementing a Risk-Based Approach to project prioritization. The presenters have leveraged a risk-based approach to managing ADA assets of all types and sizes with public works departments in every region of the county. The process that will be outlined is universal and adaptable. All attendees will have a blueprint for leveraging risk modeling at the conclusion. This presentation covers: tools used for developing an inventory of assets; developing levels of service that compliment ADA requirements and organizational resources; and implementing a “risk map” for project prioritization.
Read MoreYoung Professionals from across the country will share their ideas of innovation they have spurred in their organizations, how they accomplished the change and the results they experienced. This fast-paced session will highlight many great ideas that have grown from within organizations, created by young professionals who were eager to contribute to their organizations. Come ready to take notes and/or share your own experiences of implementing change in your workplace.
Read More“Every organization rises or falls based on leadership or the lack thereof”, said the legendary co-inventor of frozen concentrated orange juice, C.D. Atkins. According to the Federal Highway Administration, owners are facing mounting pressure to deliver programs better, faster, smarter, and cheaper. Compounding this, W. Edwards Deming, author and renowned scholar who revolutionized Japan’s manufacturing industry, insisted that leaders are responsible for 85 percent of all an organizations’ problems. Comparatively, imagine as a leader, the possibility of significantly reducing and/or eliminating 85% of all program delivery problems while creating significant and measurable innovations, imaginatively reducing and/or eliminating major project risks, and decreasing delivery times by as much as 50%? It may surprise some that owners are already accomplishing these “industry-changing” results. In this session, the presenters offer a unique, yet “tried and true,” system for delivering programs better, faster, smarter, and cheaper. For the most part, this “tried and true,” system is the innovation of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the University of Florida’s (UF) Rinker School of Construction (under the direction of Dr. Edward W. Minchin). FHWA and UF refer to this system as the “2-Day Kick-Off” meeting. In large part, it’s a combination of UF’s leadership and program management research, as well as a FHWA’s eight-year nation-wide pilot. Additionally, it utilizes components of the U.S. Army’s “Command and General Staff College” (CGSC/ILE). As mentioned, based on remarkable industry successes, resulting in arguably some of the highest performing teams in the nation, the presenters highly encourage owners to critically consider conducting the 2-Day Kick-Off meeting.
Read MoreTrees are in-demand in urban environments to provide benefits for urbanization. There are community tree planting projects around the world: Million Trees New York, LA, Denver, Shanghai, London, Ontario, and Trillion Trees. Many of these projects appear to be initiated as a political end allowing officials to show up on planting days for photos. The passion is at its peak around the event time, but dissipates quickly after the trees are planted. To establish planted trees, 2-5 years of water is needed depending on species & climate. This critical aftercare is typically not budgeted or planned. The survival rate of these trees depends on the care and water trees cannot get on their own. An example is Commerce City, Colorado, in 2015-2016. Surprisingly, there is more rainfall than trees need for establishment in most regions of the U.S. However, due to the limitation of the initial root ball size, field capacity (FC), and plant available water (PAW), most of the natural water is unused. The same limitation causes plants to struggle when all the PAW is used up. Irrigation is used to bridge this gap. But it can be costly, and may be unavailable. FC and PAW are intrinsic properties of most soils and cannot be increased easily. A comparison of different watering systems was tested in Commerce City, and the PAW in the heavy clay soil was the critical factor for tree survival. There are technologies that can increase PAW by increasing FC without drowning the plant roots.
Read MoreSodium Chloride, the most predominant salt used on streets for melting snow and ice, is the lubricant of the modern lifestyle in northern climates during wintry weather conditions. These same streets and parking lots are also the battleground where urban foresters strive to build green infrastructure for canopy coverage, stormwater management, and aesthetics. It is all too common to observe the damages and casualties on roadsides in spring, when plants start to display the impacts of salt through discoloration and canopy loss. At this stage, it is often too late to remedy and correct the damaged plants. The urban forestry community is aware of the issue. Many of these professionals have snow removal as part of their responsibility, requiring salts as part of standard operating procedures. This presentation uses case studies in Baltimore, Maryland, and controlled environment studies in Richmond, Virginia, to demonstrate a unique protocol of protecting plants from salt damages.
Read MoreAn informal ’round table’ discussion on the importance of having a vehicle replacement program and the common problems that are encountered.
Read MoreThis session describes the model and process followed by the City of Coppell, Texas, during the development of an enterprise-wide asset management system. Presenters will describe how the city has collected physical and condition data on its infrastructure assets including streets, water, sewer, drainage, and buildings/facilities. The presenters will then describe the implementation process of the asset management software system, along with some lessons learned from previous enterprise system implementations. Finally, the presenters will describe how Organizational Change Management (OCM) strategies have helped with the implementation process and ensure that stakeholders are committed to the success of the new systems.
Read MoreCISA is the nation’s risk advisor, working with partners to defend against today’s threats and collaborating to build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future. Public works professionals across the nation are responsible for making normal happen in the communities they serve. By providing for a connected and efficient transportation network, reliable and safe drinking water, collection and treatment of wastewater, management of stormwater, and facility management, communities are able to survive and thrive. Impacts to these critical infrastructure operations can have a significant impact on the critical functions that both public and private sectors provide and on the community at large. As the nation’s risk advisors, CISA supports local communities efforts to understand their risk from natural and human-caused events. While many events may be seen as normal (water main breaks, snow/ice events, etc), these events can help provide public works professionals with the opportunity to develop and improve communications between response personnel and impacted sectors, exercise response plans, and improve overall preparedness/resilience for other types of disasters. This presentation discusses CISA resources available to support preparedness and risk assessment, the importance of understanding connections between different public and private sectors, and how public works staff can connect with CISA to get more information and resources.
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