Archive for the 'Confirm v11' Category

Roads and Society

Published on February 17, 2012 in Confirm across the world, Confirm v11, Highways and Local Government. 0 Comments

Great roads, healthy Society. I still have yet to find an exception to the rule

Around our Country (and every other country) groups of professionals work diligently to keep roads available to users every day.  From time to time we might reflect on why they do what they do and how it contributes to Society.

The agenda from the forthcoming (March 14th, London) TAG President’s seminar offers a few clues, which includes sessions on “The importance of the Highway Network to the Local Economy” and “Keeping the Nation Moving”.  (See more at http://www.ciht.org.uk/en/events/) 
Now working within financial constraints, most Road Network Custodians need to get back to prioritising what they CAN DO, and forget about the recent past.  From what I see around the world, a road network, especially the local road network, is the difference between a functioning society and a fractured society.  Try to think of a country with good major roads and good local roads where business does not flow, where children do not travel safely to school, where leisure time is not spent in a multitude of activities from cultural to sport; I cannot think of any!
Maybe I am describing the symptom, not the cause.  Nevertheless, focus now in the UK to going back to what we CAN DO and this “can-do” attitude both fulfils our career/job related goals AND contributes to our Society.
I am hoping to be at the President’s Conference this year and listening to the presentations, which seem to be all forward looking.  Time to reflect on Roads and Society?

What lies beneath?

Published on December 13, 2011 in Bridges & Structures, Central Government, Confirm across the world, Confirm v11 and Local Government. 0 Comments

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!