New ITE Executive Director and CEO Jeff Paniati participated in the World Road Association (WRA) World Congress in Seoul, Korea November 2-4, 2015. WRA is a global organization with 130 member countries, and Jeff is a member of the WRA Executive Committee. More than 2,500 policy and technical leaders from more than 100 countries gathered at the World Congress. Representatives joining Jeff from the United States included U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez; AASHTO Executive Director Bud Wright; and TRB Executive Director Neil Pedersen.
During the World Congress, WRA President Oscar De Buen of Mexico updated representatives from member countries on Association accomplishments. Jeff briefed member country representatives on the WRA's proposed work plan for 2016–2019. Jeff, who led the development of this plan, announced that more than 20 new technical activities will be launched.
New World Road Association Technical Products Available
During the World Congress, Jeff chaired a special session on the United Nations (UN) Decade of Action on Road Safety and the launch of the WRA Road Safety Manual. This important new technical product will support world-wide efforts such as the Toward Zero Deaths initiative and the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety.
The global Road Safety Manual is a web-based tool for practitioners and decision-makers in the safe planning, design, operation and use of the road network. Jeff was instrumental in encouraging the development of this product as part of the leadership role he plays within the World Road Association. Mike Griffith, director of Office of Safety Technologies with the Federal Highway Administration, led the task force that oversaw the multi-year effort to develop this manual. Blair Turner from the Australian Road Research Board led the consultant team that conducted the work. ITE members can access the manual online at http://roadsafety.piarc.org.
There are several other new online products of interest to ITE members that were released at the World Congress, such as the Road Networks Operations and ITS Manual. U.S. participants in the WRA played key leadership roles in the development of these new products. ITE members can access these new on-line products free of charge at www.piarc.org/en. New visitors need to register.