Author: Ed Welch, NCPP-Bridge Preservation Engineer
Perspective of: Drew Storey, INDOT Maintenance Management Operations Analyst, and Jeremy Hunter, INDOT Bridge Asset Engineer.
Drew and Jeremy were willing to do a joint interview giving the reader a broader perspective of INDOT’s answer to “Communicating the Value of Bridge Preservation”.
- Present Involvement: It is discouraging that in informal conversations with consultants they have a ”push back” perspective (not big proponents) when it comes to doing Bridge Perseveration Contracts. These are traditionally not large projects and are not cost effective to the consultant. As a resolve to this INDOT is considering a conference on the Value of Bridge Preservation.
- Today: We must drive the need for Preservation. Give all Owners (States and Locals) the funding and skills to accomplish this. Get to it early as a dedicated program. Start with Specifications. This will move the needle of your Average Bridge Condition from Poor towards Good. The earlier you get to Preservation the better.
- The future: Need to promote Preservation on the Local Agency level thru the Local Agency Director. Steer Locals to put a percentage towards Preservation. Most local programs in place only address replacement.
- Needs: We need Metrics; Cost Benefit is the metric that owners are looking for. We need to agree how to measure future cost effectiveness (with examples).Internal buy-in is most important, but Legislators and the Public have to be involved as well. Surveys to the Public expose their understanding of needs and where marketing or training is needed.
- Locals: Some sort of forum to show Local Agencies that they are saving money with Preservation needs to be incorporated in your program.
- Frustration: The Consulting Industry, large and small, need to see the benefits of Bridge Preservation. Ultimately Owners, Industry and our Bridges will be better off. INDOT understands that they can’t do it the way that they always have.
- In Closing: We need a “National Bridge Preservation Credo” that bluntly defines the need and value of Bridge Preservation.
INDOT is trying to get in “The Preservation Mode” and they feel that the TSP2 National Conference was a great avenue for “Communicating the Value of Bridge Preservation”.
Please post a comment on “Communicating the Value of Bridge Preservation”. Hopefully, Drew and Jeremy’s joint perspective from the INDOT/Owner side will instill further perspective on how we can meet the challenge of getting the word out about Bridge Preservation.