Summary:
In September 2024, Faina Levin and I were sponsored by the Municipal Engineering Foundation of Victoria (MEFV) for a study tour of the USA and Canada. We attended the American Public Works Association’s Public Works Expo in Atlanta and met with various municipal representatives in other cities. This presentation would outline our tour, the cities visited, and learnings related to my study topic: “Brownfield Road Repair and Replacement, a Sustainable Approach”.
Abstract:
In September 2024, Faina Levin and I were sponsored by the Municipal Engineering Foundation of Victoria (MEFV) for a study tour of the United States of America and Canada. During our time in the USA and Canada, we attended the American Public Works Association’s Public Works Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, and met with representatives from numerous municipal organisations across both countries.
My focus during the study tour was on my chosen study topic: “Brownfield Road Repair and Replacement: A Sustainable Approach.” I met with many local government engineers responsible for the maintenance and replacement of road infrastructure within their jurisdictions.
This presentation will outline the study tour we undertook, the cities and municipalities we visited, and the overall learnings we gained. I will also be writing a detailed report based on this study tour, which will be published on the MEFV website for future reference.
Regarding my study topic, I intend to discuss the differences in government structures between Australia and the USA and how these differences impact project selection, funding, and the maintenance of road networks on a municipal scale.
While Australia is generally ahead of the USA in asset management, it was notable that the USA focuses on maintaining existing roads rather than reconstructing failed roads. For example, the City of Charlotte, North Carolina, has not undertaken a full road reclamation project in the past 15 years, relying instead on patching and mill-and-fill treatments. Similarly, the City and County of San Francisco has an extensive annual resurfacing program worth US$70 million, which has resurfaced 75% of its entire network over the past 15 years. The adoption of a unified Pavement Condition Index in the USA allows cities and counties to assess the overall state of their roads and track improvements as investments are made.
In the USA, there is also a significant focus on asphalt rejuvenators, particularly the addition of maltenes to recently asphalted roads, which I have not encountered in Australia, but which show promising results in extending the life of road assets. Another notable difference is the USA’s requirement to modify the entire right of way to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when undertaking maintenance works on a road.
Prior to the presentation in May and for inclusion in my report, I will be further communicating with some of the contacts I made in the United States and Canada to gather additional information on road reclamation projects in existing urban environments. These learnings will also be included.