Underside of Bridge in Boulder, CO
I was in Boulder, Colorado this week and took this photograph. What do YOU see?
A Bridge Engineer might see the need for regular inspections, cathodic protection or simply the natural state of this type of construction in this climate. An Environmentalist might notice the nearly new footpath and shared cycle-path (to the left of the picture) representing the Municipality’s investment in assets that will enhance the healthy lifestyle adopted by many people in this high altitude, clean-air city. Others might see a Christmas scene with a beautiful stream, recent snow and clear air.
The fact is that I took the picture to add to my library of assets requiring Inspections, defect logging and Maintenance - whether programmed or reactive. What lies beneath the roads we use everyday is a large Maintenance and Inspection need, with the emphasis on “need”; it simply cannot “not be done”.
In the UK, the
Mountains from our office in Boulder
Government have just extended the “Austerity Era” by 2 years to balance the books and avoid a “downgrading by S&P”…I understand…really, I do: it will be dearer for Governments to borrow money and therefore the Austerity Era will self-extend by more than 2 years! Our creativity is needed and that is what I see happening. Some of the ideas in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the other countries I have recently visited would not have been thought up 3, 4 or 5 years ago.
So I end the year with hope and admiration: hope for more creative ideas to make the Shrinking Maintenance purse do more for less and admiration for the ideas I have observed in the Maintenance space. What lies beneath is the hard-work and creativity of a large number of professionals around the world who mainly work out of sight and often out of hours.
And the pretty pictures – let’s enjoy the holiday season and enjoy the picture for picture’s sake – here’s another just because it’s pretty and “Christmassy”.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
0 Responses to “What lies beneath?”