Marlborough District Council Roading Assets - Activity Management Plan 2015 - 2018 SECTION 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Essential infrastructure services such as water, wastewater, transport, energy and telecommunications underpin the functioning of our communities, businesses and economy. Road networks have a particular significance among these engineering lifelines. All the other lifelines - waste, wastewater, stormwater, electricity, gas and telecommunications networks – depend on the road corridor and road structures to deliver their services. The roading network becomes particularly critical in a natural disaster. Access of emergency response, the delivery of ongoing community support and access for the reinstatement of lifeline, communications etc are critical functions which must be maintained or reinstated as soon as practical. When considering resilience, protecting against significant incidents like earthquakes or other natural disasters, or at least mitigating the impact of them, is often viewed as the only aspect of network resilience. However resilience should also consider the wider view and address the ability of network infrastructure to deal with a range of significant disruptions and shifting circumstances from natural disasters to changing demographics or economic shocks. Generally changing demographics or economics happen over a longer timeframe and allow for some element of preplanning. But occasionally these changes are more rapid and unexpected, i.e. a sudden increase in log prices which increases forestry extractions, and place pressure of the network. For this plan the following address resilience: 1.6.1.12.1 Reduce Risk The first stage of resilience is reducing risk. This stage addresses the resilience by ensuring the network is maintained in as robust as practically condition. The following are the key elements of reducing risk: Maintenance; Ensure the network is kept operational through timely and appropriate maintenance intervention, i.e. keeping culverts clean, removing overhanging trees etc. Renewals: Ensure the network is kept in sound condition through timely and appropriate renewals, i.e. pavement rehabilitation, culvert replacement etc. Preventative Maintenance: The proactive identification of sites with the risk if failure and analysis of the cost of mitigation i.e. a section of road threatened by river erosion, or potential slip sites. Future proof design; Ensuring all design of roading renewals and upgrades take account of possible future conditions, i.e. culvert capacity should allow for the effect of global warming, The application of robust risk reduction will improve route reliability but it can never be guaranteed as the roading network will never be impervious to all adverse events. 1.6.1.12.2 Be Prepared The second stage is being prepared for when the inevitable happens. The key elements for this stage are: Emergency Management Plans (EMP): Ensure that all EMPs are kept up to date and that the key contacts are aware of the responsibilities and processes required. People: Ensure regular liaison between groups likely to be involved in events, Police, Marlborough Roads, Civil Defence, Lifelines Group, MDC Rivers, Rural Fire etc. and that people understand their roles. Communications: Ensure contact information in EMPs is kept up to date, communications are critical during an event. Resources: The maintenance contract should maintain adequate resources within the network to attend to events. This shall include agreements with subcontractors to provide additional resource as required. Know High Risk Areas: Ensure high risk and fragile sections of the network are known and can be proactively managed during events, i.e. checking drainage on Port Underwood Rd etc. Information: Monitor key information sources to ensure proactive management. i.e Floodwatch (MDC Website), Frost monitoring etc. Being prepared, and proactive intervention, can improve the resilience of the network by limiting the damage caused by and event. 1.6.1.12.3 Recovery / Reinstatement The third stage of resilience is recovery, how the network is returned to required level of service once the dust has settled. The key elements of this stage are: Processes: Follow the set processes for the management of recovery. NZTA require a two phase approach (i) incident response which basically covers everything to getting the road open to one lane and (ii) 30 September 2014 Page 49 of Section 1