The following is a list of conference sessions confirmed to-date. This will be added to until the release of the full programme:
MINISTERIAL ADDRESS
The roading network is at the core of the new government’s priorities around improving our infrastructure. We need to move ahead as a country that is connected both in urban centres and in the regions with a fit-for-purpose and high functioning transport network. To this end the government has announced thirteen new RONS projects and allocated additional funding to road maintenance and improvements.
- funding and financing. Modernising the Crown’s finance governance to allow for more private funding
- reducing congestion in high-growth areas which will help to reduce emissions
- local government funding opportunities
- reducing waste around time and resources spent on broader outcomes
- RONS update
Hon Simeon Brown – Minister for Transport, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Auckland
LEADERS’ PANEL: LOOKING TO NEXT YEAR’S WORK PROGRAMME
What is the next step for industry under the new government?
With a new government in place and a strong focus on roading infrastructure, how will the next three years look for the roading industry? Priorities and investment have shifted but what does this mean for councils and contractors and is ‘doing more with less’ still happening or is it more about finding efficiencies and doing what can be done.
- unpacking the NLTP
- paring back broader outcomes, or finding better efficiencies?
- alternative financing and investment models
- lowering compliance costs
- current state of the consenting and fast-track consenting processes
Panelists:
Dean Kimpton – Auckland Transport
Murray Robertson – Downer
Peter Wiles – WSP
additional panelists to be confirmed
Facilitator:
Adrienne Miller – UDINZ
CHANGES TO STATE HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE
The new Integrated Delivery Model for state highway maintenance is set to be rolled out early 2025. Significant changes are afoot with a focus on efficiencies and a closer working relationship with local communities.
- how the IDM works and what this means for your organisation – contractor, consultancy, local government, supplier
- moving towards a new approach to Temporary Traffic Management
- 24-hour pothole repair
- efficiencies gained through road closures for major maintenance and repairs (case study – Central Waikato)
Andrew Clark – national manager maintenance & operations, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
DRIVING MORE VALUE OUT OF YOUR ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT: HIGGINS
Higgins is one of the large full-service roading contractors in New Zealand providing roading maintenance and construction, asphalt products, and the importation and supply of bitumen. It is part of the Fletcher Building group.
New general manager Andrew McRae returns from a long stint in Australia and provides an update on the group and its key priorities moving ahead, and advice around what road owners can do to better leverage their investment.
- creating downward price pressure through operational efficiency
- trends we’re seeing in procurement and advice for models that work
- how we leverage and sub in local contractors
- benefits of vertical integration in the Fletcher Group – aggregates, cement, concrete
- bitumen supply and asphalt production capacities across Higgins
Andrew McRae – general manager, Higgins
PROCUREMENT UPDATE: NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY WAKA KOTAHI
The national transport agency is overhauling procurement across its roading spend under the new Infrastructure Procurement Strategy and Integrated Delivery Model. This will see the incumbent NOC model for state highway maintenance procurement replaced and a more system-wide and regionalised approach. There will be impacts and opportunities for local government, contractors and consultants.
Alison Murray – head of procurement, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER: HOW DO WE FIX OUR LOCAL ROADS?
A comparison to the Australian situation, based on 20 years of data, followed by recommendations to government in New Zealand on how to fix local roads and give communities the roads they need. More funding is important but the sustainable, long-term solution lies in better asset management.
Jacqui Hansen - senior asset management advisor, IPWEA
UPDATE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
Where is government procurement heading and how will the new government procurement rules impact the roading sector and what does the new framework look like?
- what were our key drivers for change?
- new procurement behaviours being encouraged
- how will agile, faster procurement be supported by the new framework?
Laurence Pidcock – general manager NZ Government Procurement, MBIE
REDUCING MATERIALS COSTS: ALTERNATIVES TO THE M/4 SPEC
It is a common misconception that you need to use the M/4 gravel specification in all instances. In fact, this can lead to increased costs carting expensive virgin aggregates all over the country. So what are the other options?
- overseas developments relevant to New Zealand
- alternatives to M/4
- incorporating local materials into your specs
- sustainability considerations
- New Zealand case studies of alternatives & how they’ve performed to date
Bryan Pidwerbesky – technical director – pavements, Fulton Hogan
CHANGES TO NZ STEEL’S HIGH-STRENGTH MELTER SLAG AGGREGATES, AND HOW TO ACCESS
NZ Steel’s melter slag aggregate (GMA) is a high-performance synthetic aggregate used to provide skid resistance on road surfaces. NZTA currently underwrites 60% of the supply of GMA. With the commissioning of a new electric arc furnace at Glenbrook this product offering is set to be expanded.
- changes going forwards
- pricing
- how to source it
- GMA’s unique properties
Colin Morgan – aggregates manager, NZ Steel
DOES SUSTAINABILITY MEAN HIGHER COST?
When assessing the viability of transport projects the various desired outcomes can sometimes seem in conflict. This can lead to significant trade-offs.
Stiffer, smoother roads cost more upfront but deliver lower risk, lower maintenance assets. They also provide significant sustainability benefits. Higher upfront carbon emissions can reduce project life emissions significantly.
In this presentation Mark will discuss the relationship between the economic viability and sustainability of common NZ pavement treatments, looking at areas of alignment and trade off, and how they can contribute to the bigger economic and sustainability picture.
Mark Cruden – director, Meyer Cruden Engineering
PANEL DISCUSSION: ROAD USERS
The heavy vehicle and public transport sectors are important stakeholders in the roading network. Changes are afoot in this area in terms of user-pays models, electrification and changing modes of transport, and vehicle weights. In this panel we take a look at:
- current fleet trends
- changes in average trip distances and routes and the impact of technology
- driver behaviour
- roads/regions we avoid and our wishlist for the network
Panelists under invitation
Facilitator:
Dom Kalasih – Transporting NZ
PANEL DISCUSSION: FUNDING ALTERNATIVES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT PROJECTS
Much has been said recently about alternative funding models for infrastructure and it will be interesting to see where the Government lands later this year with signalled changes to the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act. By the time of the conference, policy should also be in place around city and regional deals. In this panel we take a look at the opportunities and considerations for councils when it comes to roading projects.
- PPPs – when to use, when to avoid
- overseas best practice
- financing considerations for councils including credit ratings and financing costs
- tolls and congestion charging
- potential funding partners – iwi investment arms
- off-balance sheet debt options
- city and regional deals for roading
- correct project valuation and building in future maintenance costs upfront at time of financing
- ‘build, own, operate, transfer’ equity finance schemes, and value capture to generate additional revenue
Panelists:
Andrea Reeves – Wellington City Council
Ian Purdy – ACC
Stuart Cross – Morrison Low
Panelists under invitation
Facilitator:
Craig Rice – PwC
PANEL DISCUSSION: PRIORITISING ROADING BUDGETS AND THE ROLE OF INNOVATION
This panel discussion canvases different councils around how they make the roading dollar go further.
- low-cost maintenance techniques and materials
- chipseal alternatives
- raising your drainage spend to combat changing weather patterns and protect your network
- understanding different asset classes and what they cost, lifecycles and how to maintain
- decision-making optimisation around asset management
- hot cutback bitumen vs emulsion
Panelists:
Attinder Singh – Waikato District Council
Hamish Featonby – Tararua District Council
Panelists under invitation
CASE STUDY: EXTENDING YOUR ROAD LIFE. WHEN TO USE REJUVENATORS AND WHEN TO LET A ROAD GO
The key to using rejuvenation products is knowing when to apply them. If applied at the right time you can add 5-10 years to your road life and achieve considerable cost savings over the lifecycle of your road.
- what products and processes are involved in rejuvenation
- when to ‘let a road go’ vs fix it
Steve Guy – city streets maintenance manager, Christchurch City Council
NZTA KEYNOTE ADDRESS: STATE OF PLAY AND OUR NEW DIRECTION
Nicole Rosie – chief executive officer, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
AT PROJECT ROADMAP 2025-2027
Murray Burt – director infrastructure & place, Auckland Transport
iPAVE AND DATA REFORM, THE NEXT GENERATION OF PAVEMENT ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
Johan Cronje – principal technology leader, National Transport Research Organisation
MAJOR PROJECT WORK TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2025
Mark Kinvig – national manager infrastructure delivery, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS:
MANUFACTURED SAND AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO NATURAL SAND
Natural sand is getting harder to access, particularly from rivers and the seabed. Manufactured sand will be part of the solution however has challenges in terms of capital investment, historical costs of natural sand, consumer resistance and the fact that good aggregate rock is used to produce sand. This discussion will pursue the issues and potential solutions to increasing supply of manufactured sand in New Zealand, particularly for roading structures.
Wayne Scott – chief executive, AQA
WHAT DOES A WORTHWHILE EPD LOOK LIKE TO A ROADING AUTHORITY?
The roading materials sector is stepping up on life-cycle assessments (LCA) including Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). Join this Round Table to gain an understanding of LCAs and EPDs related to gravel and sand, concrete, limestone, cement and other roading materials.
Bernie Napp – director, Prospect Consulting
2024 CONFERENCE THEMES
Leadership and government strategy
|
Procurement
|
Network future-proofing
|
Technology
|
Materials
|
Smart Traffic Signal Technologies and Control Centres
|
To view the 2023 programme click here.