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Sustainability in Future RoadwaysPresented by APWAEmerging Leaders Academy

Goals of APWA ELAThe ELA is a year-long national program that provides intensive leadership and management training.

“The APWA Emerging Leaders Academy exposed us to other working professionals from around the country. We deliberated challenging Public Works issues, worked on our leadership skills, and made professional connections. I developed new skills, refined professional my outlook and made new friends"

-Eric Gilmore, Sr. Engineering Technician, City of Shoreline

Goals of Presentation Provide a basis for what sustainable

roadways broadly mean to those in the PW field.

Deliver information related to challenges and needs in creating sustainable roadways

Highlight potential technological advances and educational needs to make this future possible.

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Sustainability is the ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely.

Provide an economically viable means of transporting people, goods, and services through: Embracing emerging technologies Removing barriers Education and Outreach Funding

Emerging Technologies Necessity breeds invention

As our infrastructure declines, significant infrastructure investment and the use of new, efficient, and sustainable methods are needed to stretch our repair dollars.

Roller Compacted Concrete Roller compacted Concrete

(RCC) is a high strength, zero-slump concrete that has the performance of conventional concrete

Compression strengths of up to 10,000 psi

High density and low absorption is less vulnerable to freeze/thaw

Less aesthetic than traditional concrete or asphalt.

http://www.cementx.org

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Roller Compacted Concrete

Permeable Pavement Improving Water Quality – better infiltration and

reduction of runoff More expensive to construct Increased annual maintenance costs Difficult to patch or clean

Case Study: RW Johnson 21st

Avenue Project – Olympia WA

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Barriers

Cultural, Societal, & Behavioral “Bureaucratic organizations” Creating change is tough Processes not thoroughly vetted Results in difficult implementation

Economic & Market Barriers New technologies generally are more

expensive, unproven, with unknown future maintenance costs

Public opinion on spending funds for new technologies, is it responsible?

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Regulatory & Political Barriers Current governmental organization’s

standards and specifications must be met, and those documents do not address or consider emerging technologies.

Financial Barriers Amount of current infrastructure needing

maintenance/replacement Large upfront costs Are emerging technologies a financially

viable option for implementation?

Survey Results ELA conducted a survey of APWA members 238 responses 78.5% from government organizations

High interest, low funding

No short term cost savings Requires long term planning for implementation

Currently not using funding wisely

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Survey Results Discussion Most respondents do not support

increasing funding for the failing infrastructure (increasing gas taxes)

If the government staff does not support the issues, how do you get the public to buy in?

Most thought their organizations were well suited to adapt to new technologies

Education and

Outreach

Telling the Public Works Story?

What is our story?What we do?How we do it?What we achieve?

To whom do we tell our story?FriendsFamilyEmployersElected officialsPublicStudents

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“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” –Chinese Proverb

When? National Public Works

Week Mosquito Control Week Social Media

How? Culture change Getting ahead of the

story

Where? School Community Events In the work place

Engage and Involve

Becoming this

Succession Planning and Mentoring

Share what you have learned Learn from when you share Empower Employees to learn, grow

and try new ideas Ready the next generation

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Developing Lifelong Students Teach outside of the box Develop new ways of doing things Encourage creative thinking

Grace Hopper

Benefits

Actively involved in planning the future Succession plans Increase passion, enthusiasm, and

appreciation for Public Works New ideas! Better services

Resources

Federal Highway Administration

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Xprize

APWA

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The future is here

Funding

Current Sources Fuel taxes currently provide close to 40%

of state revenue for highways, and 92% of gross federal Highway Trust Fund Receipts

Lagging behind funding needs Inflation Growing infrastructure inventory Aging systems in need of replacement

The fixed-rate federal gas tax has lost 33% of its purchasing power since 1993

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The shortfall The shortfall cost to maintain the nation’s

highway transit system at $57 to $118 billion per year

To maintain and improve them, the gap is $113 billion to $185 billion.

Funding Sources

Variable Rate and Indexed Fuel Taxes Automatic adjustment for changes in

purchasing power Alternative Fuel Tax

27 States impose alternative fuel vehicle taxes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Fees

Oregon Road Usage Charge Program $0.015 tax per mile driven

Private Partnerships

Maintenance and Management $1 spent on maintenance returns $6-$14 in

capitol savings Fix it First!

Active Demand Management HOV lanes Reversible lanes Traffic signal synchronization

Allowing a road to deteriorate before repairing it can double the cost for each lane mile – FHA Study

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Conclusions No single solution to a sustainable future

Embrace emerging technologies to increase lifespan and improve efficiency

Remove barriers to change

Devote energy to outreach

Prioritize maintenance

Leverage and lobby elected officials and companies

Creating sustainability in our future roadways will not be an easy feat, but it is our responsibility to take action.

Thank You!