REAAA NZ CHAPTER WEBINAR SERIES

A series of monthly webinars that will appeal to a range of practitioners in the roading and transportation industry.  If you would like to present in the webinar series please email lisa.pallister@reaaa.co.nz

DECEMBER 2020

Friday 11th December, 12.30 - 1.30pm

REAAA Young Presenter Competition

Winner Katarina Gage, Road Science

Plastic Asphalt - Plas Mix, a small bite from a very big problem 
David Alexander, R&D Projects Manager, Road Science

In 2017 China closed its doors to taking most plastic waste, this brought home the issue of what to do with it. Currently there are few resources in Aotearoa New Zealand repurposing this waste into new products. Of these, they are limited to a select few types of plastics.

Local councils are under immense pressure to find a solution to their growing stockpiles of unwanted mixed plastics without having to revert to landfilling this material.

Working with councils and development partners, Road Science has developed a solution to optimise standard asphalt mixes utilising the hard plastic waste and feeding it directly back into the local infrastructure where it came from.  David's PowerPoint Presentation

If we can cycle to places do we still drive? Investigating Transport Accessibility & Annual Car Travel
Fraser Dixon, Graduate Transportation Planner, Abley

A sustainable future is one where active modes (e.g. cycling) are accessible, but even if they are will people still drive to get to places. The private vehicle has shaped the way cities have been built in New Zealand remaining a key driver of change today. T

The purpose of the research I carried out was to establish if a correlation exists between accessibility and Vehicles Kilometres Travelled (VKT) and what this means for policy and behaviour. An accessibility assessment was conducted based on a properties access to key locations within Christchurch and VKT was assessed by using the WoF dataset. Results showed accessibility being greatest within the CBD and becoming increasingly less further out. The correlation between accessibility and median annual VKT was R 2 = 0.39, and the correlation between median annual VKT per person was R 2 = 0.56.

These results suggested that overall people within accessible areas do drive less; however, there are areas where this was not the case. This can be improved through transport-related policies such as cycling infrastructure provisions and encouraging high-density development. The research concluded being close to destinations will mean you are less likely to drive as far, with the opportunity for future research.  Fraser's PowerPoint Presentation

Road Weather Technology
Katarina Gage, IoT Project Manager, Road Science

A look into the current problems we have on our roading networking. The impacts the Weather causes and the innovative technology that has been created to mitigate this.

Road Science have been working on innovative technologies to give advice on where, when and what Road Science products can be sprayed in bad weather.  These technologies take all the guesswork out of what is actually happening with our weather and provide users with certainty on treatment selection.

This presentation will provide you with Road Science ongoing thought leadership in researching and developing weather solutions.  Katarina's PowerPoint Presentation

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NOVEMBER 2020

Wednesday 11th November, 12.30 - 1.30pm

The roads of the future are paved with wellbeing

Presenter: Hayden Bed, Tairawhiti Local Roads Manager, Downer

The Construction Sector Accord launched in April 2019 brought government and industry together as a catalyst to transform the sector for the wellbeing of all New Zealand. One of the Accord’s priorities is to create a safe construction environment that supports thriving mental health and wellbeing. Having worked in the roading infrastructure industry for over a decade, Hayden is acutely aware of the impact of wellbeing on the sustainability of businesses and their employees’ ability to respond, adapt and be resilient.

Focusing on the relatively new research field on health promoting leadership, this reflective presentation will share some of Hayden’s learnings in a personal and professional context. Hayden is passionate about creating environments that support thriving mental health and wellbeing and setting up people for success.  Hayden's powerpoint presentation

Buller Walking Action Plan

Presenter: Tracy Fleming, Senior Transportation Engineer, Abley

Walking is one of the first skills we learn and continue to use throughout our lives.  It benefits the health and wellbeing of both individuals and communities, so we need to support walking activity across all abilities, ages.  The increased central government funding for footpath maintenance has enabled Buller District Council to dedicate more resource to improving footpaths in the district, but where should the focus be?

Abley worked with Buller District Council and key local stakeholders to develop a walking action plan for Westport, Reefton and smaller townships.  The aim was to identify and prioritise actions to work towards “a walking environment that is safe, convenient, attractive and accessible for all”.  The work resulted in a prioritised plan endorsed by the community and local councillors, which made prioritisation of the 3-year maintenance programme easier and quicker.  The action plan allowed for schemes to be pulled ‘off the shelf’ and can help to attract more funding.

This presentation will take you through the methodology, key outcomes and benefits of having a plan for walking and how the action plan has informed the maintenance programme.  Tracy's PowerPoint presentation

Tracy discusses Tactile indicator layouts in her presentation.  Further details can be found here:

Tactile Indicator Webinar on the Transport Agency Walking Standards and Guidelines webpage 

Tactile Indicator Webinar on YouTube

Tactile Indicator Installation Technical Note (TAN#20)

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OCTOBER 2020

Wednesday 14th October, 3.00 - 4.00pm

 ‘Road Engineering Post-Covid: Technologies and Practices for the Zero Carbon-Zero Poverty Agenda’

Presenter: Peter Newman AO, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University

The global economic collapse is mainstreaming the zero carbon-zero poverty agenda from Paris and the SDG’s and evidence of this will be presented to show how critical it will be for all professions and sectors to respond in our cities and regions. Renewables-batteries-EV’s-smart technology systems in cities and hydrogen in regional industry are leading this charge, but what do they mean for how we make road systems? The role of new mid-tier transit and micro-mobility, recharge hubs and urban regeneration along corridors will be outlined as well as the special role of regional ports.

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