A long road ahead: road asset management in conditions of uncertainty in the Eastern Caribbean
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Road infrastructure is one of the most important and valuable publicly owned physical infrastructure assets in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).But there are a variety of challenges associated with road infrastructure for these SIDS in the 21st century. These concerns stem from a variety of factors, ranging from operating conditions, frequent natural hazard events, and the under-developed technological, human, and financial resource environments which presents limitations to data collection, processing and analysis needed for sound decision making for road asset management. ☐ By far, the biggest determinants affecting asset management in Eastern Caribbean SIDS are government policies, and the will and commitment to engage in asset management. Governments decide national priorities and influence the major course of economic and social activities. It is political institutions or the state that determines the rules, and conditions for the functioning of various departments and agencies that participate in road infrastructure management. This affects the financial standing of these agencies and departments and in consequence their asset management decisions. The financial system relates to government policies and determines the availability of the funding necessary for asset management activity. This is turn affects the financial decisions that are made by directors or public works departments and other road agencies. ☐ With road infrastructure that is insufficiently financed-and in most cases poorly developed, there is a high degree of disaster vulnerability of road assets, and this consequently extends to the communities which depend on such vital infrastructure. ☐ This offers a complex challenge for decision- makers having to plan proactive road infrastructure strategies and policies in an environment which presents a high level of uncertainty associated with frequent natural hazard impacts. ☐ Within this complexity, however, is an opportunity to move from traditional road asset management approaches which have largely ignored the unique contextual nuances of island nations and the impacts of frequent natural hazard events on roads, to new approaches which incorporates adaptation-based strategies that reflect – at least to some extent - the uncertainty of the problems facing these island nations. ☐ This dissertation was motivated by these issues and investigates the asset management maturity of road agencies in the Eastern Caribbean for road management. Factors influencing asset management maturity were identified using interviews and surveys. Building on these observations, the research also investigated how uncertainty can be addressed to improve adaptation against frequent natural hazard risks to roads in these islands. ☐ Mixed research methods (qualitative and quantitative) were used for analysis and to understand and examine the maturity levels of asset management and practices of disaster risk management among governments in the region. This also served as the basis to inform and develop a strategy for implementing an adaption-based asset management framework specific to SIDS. ☐ A sequential exploratory research design was used, and the research was conducted in two phases. Phase One examined the factors influencing asset management maturity in the Eastern Caribbean .The results of Phase One showed that the Eastern Caribbean is severely hampered in its capabilities for road asset management. While Phase Two explored natural hazard impacts and disaster risk management for road infrastructure in the region. Phase Two demonstrates that while natural hazards pose a significant threat to road infrastructure in the region, government agencies charged with the responsibility for disaster and road management remain woefully under-prepared to deal with the uncertainties and threats posed by such events. ☐ A novel framework for adaption-based asset management was developed from the insights gleaned from the survey and interviews. This framework combines elements from the Plan-Do-Check-Act Deming Cycle and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities framework (PDCA-FCM). The PDCA-FCM framework was designed to address asset management limitations in the Eastern Caribbean struggling with frequent and intense natural hazard impacts which creates conditions of uncertainty in decision making and planning for road asset management. The framework should be implemented on a regular cycle to build a base for asset management and assemble the resources to proactively address the need for adaptation to regular and extreme natural hazard events. Therefore, the framework recognizes the limitations and challenges faced by SIDS and offers opportunities for incremental improvements over time.
Description
Keywords
Asset management, Caribbean roads, Natural hazards, Small Island Developing States, Eastern Caribbean