With landfill space decreasing and environmental concerns and regulations increasing, public works officials are sifting through the waste stream for new ways to manage waste disposal. One portion of the waste stream that they have identified as lacking comprehensive and standardized management guidelines is construction and demolition (C&D) debris.
For any public works employee experienced in presenting a controversial project or fielding service-related complaints, this is the question that eventually arises when contemplating the development of a public relations program. But upon further reflection, the answer has to be “yes” because in the end, citizens are not only customers but also owners.
Although trenchless technology can be more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and safer than traditional exhume-and-replace construction, it's still not universally embraced. But that is changing.
When you visit a water plant, what image are you left with? Depending on your experience, you may envision a building pulsating with the noise of pumps and motors; a vast array of tanks filled with water; or a large room of pipes and computer screens with red, green, or yellow lights. When I enter a water plant I immediately think of a large chemistry experiment—an image etched into my mind after years of dealing with a small but complicated plant in Illinois.
Fortunately, the federal government realizes that local agencies need help to reduce crashes in their jurisdictions. Through the efforts of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), many tools and programs have been developed to provide guidance to local agencies, including the Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP).
