NEWSLETTER N°108
July 2022

The technical experts working in our Committees are one of PIARC's main strengths, and they share their knowledge and experience through technical reports. To date, 24 reports from the 2020-2023 work cycle have already been published, on various topics such as tunnels or disaster management. This is a valuable and very up-to-date resource that we are making available free of charge.

These reports, and those still under development, will be presented at the next World Road Congress in Prague in October 2023. I invite you to consult the official website of the Congress and the Association's website for the latest information on this major event. [...]

>> Read the full editorial

NEW DATE to answer the call for proposals on social equity and accessibility! 

Deadline: 19 August 2022

In the framework of PIARC's special project on the issue of social equity and social accessibility in the road sector, PIARC is launching once again its call for proposals.

The call text has been reduced and made clearer, so please respond as soon as possible!

Your work will allow to analyse how road authorities are currently managing accessibility of their road infrastructure, whilst implementing this in the most socially equitable manner possible. A best practice guide based on these observations will then be developed.

>> Download the call for proposals

The Japan Road Association and PIARC held a Workshop on disaster management! 

30 June 2022, Kyoto (Japan) and online

The international workshop on "Road disaster management using latest information technologies" took place in person in Kyoto (Japan) and online.

Technical Committee 1.5 “Road disaster management”, in collaboration with the Japan Road Association (JARA), addressed the topic from a local point of view, applied to the case of Japan, and from a more international perspective with countries that have acquired disaster expertise.

The event gathered about 70 in person participants and 350 online participants from all over the world.

>> The workshop was recorded, you can watch it!

Prepare your visit to Prague for the World Road Congress! 

From 2 to 6 October, Prague (Czech Republic)

In order to attend the Congress in the best conditions, you can already download the 1^st circular presenting the event and then start to organise your stay in Prague.

In this brochure you will find all the necessary information on registration fees, accommodation options and how to get to the Congress.

>> Download the 1^st circular

Routes/Roads magazine presents the Accessits of the Calgary 2022 Congress! 

The XVI World Winter Service and Road Resilience Congress was held in Calgary In February 2022. Prize winners and honourable mentions were awarded to the best papers among the individual contributions resulting from the call for papers.

Find out more about the honourable mentions from the Calgary Congress in the new issue of Routes/Roads magazine.

>> Read the latest issue of Routes/Roads
>> Download it in pdf format

PIARC launched two new Task Forces at its premises in Paris! 

27-28 June, La Défense (France)

Task Force 1.3 is a follow-up to Task Force 1.1 on “Well-Prepared Projects” which concluded with great success and with a technical report. For this reason, an extension was decided to focus on the specific topic of "Well-Prepared Projects in Low and Middle-Income Countries". The new Chair, Michel Demarre, was Secretary of the previous group.

Task Force 2.1 deals with new mobility and its impact on road infrastructure and transport. It is a follow-up to two groups on related topics, the reports of which are available.

Under the chairmanship of Ana Luz Jimenez, the group has reviewed its entire work programme in order to produce its deliverables by June 2024.

>> Further information

PIARC mentioned on the BBC! 

In an article on global warming that is destroying roads, the BBC quoted Caroline Evans, Chair of Technical Committee 1.4 on “Climate Change and Resilience of Road Networks”

Caroline Evans talks about how engineers are fighting to prevent global warming from destroying roads, and presents concrete examples of solutions adopted in some places.

>> Check out the existing reports on this topic

University Diploma in Road Safety for Africa 

Gustave Eiffel University has set up a "Road Safety in Africa" University Diploma.

This new course is the result of a partnership with CEREMA and CITA, and is run by the TS2 (Transport, Health and Safety) and AME (Planning, Mobility, Environment) departments. It is intended for executives from African countries and aims to meet the need for training in French. It is based on the five pillars of road safety: management, infrastructure, vehicles, users and post-accident. The goal is to provide a global, structured and documented vision of road safety concepts by approaching them through the specific and diversified issues of French-speaking African countries. The diploma is open for this year 2021-2022.

>> Further information

The Role of Transport Agencies in Shaping Disruptive Technologies and Service Models - A Private Sector Roundtable 

Through its Technical Committee 1.1 Performance of Transport Administrations, PIARC is undertaking an extended investigation [...]

>> Read here

A Study on Financial Management of Disasters in the International Arena 

The threats linked to extreme natural events, compromise not only the safety of human life, but also important activities that can move the economy of a country, regardless of its level of wealth. [...]

>> Read here

Control and Enforcement Measures to Reduce Truck Overloading and Associated Infrastructure Damage on Road Networks 

Overloaded trucks, poor vehicle conditions, driver fatigue and speeding remain big challenges in road freight transport for road authorities [...]

>> Read here