Communities work together to repair damages
Mitigation in New Hampshire
When public works directors and road agents are looking for better ideas on how to repair roads and fix drainage problems, they often check with the Technology Transfer Center, otherwise known as the T2 Center, located at the University of New Hampshire, Durham. The T2 Center manages New Hampshire's Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP); Congress established LTAP in 1982 to provide public works services to U.S. cities and towns that maintain more than 3 million miles of road and 29,000 bridges.
Mitigation is a hot topic at the T2 Center. Staff organize workshops on the basics of a good road and techniques for reconstruction projects, such as using geotextiles for drainage projects and repairing roads. Through the Center's professional development Roads Scholar program, they help people learn about new materials and develop critical skills.
The Center offers those involved with public works projects a place to exchange information about what works and doesn't work. And one of the things people are talking about is geotextiles.
"People are using geotextiles more and more," said Kathy DesRoches, director of educational programs at the T2 Center. "What I hear from the road agents is that they've been very successful when using the right geotextile product in the right place."
The New Hampshire LTAP also has a national first with the Mutual Aid Program that it manages. New Hampshire was the first state to build a coalition of public works departments for the purpose of sharing resources. "Mutual Aid is used to facilitate quick responses to public works emergencies," said DesRoches, manager of the program.
In an emergency, local officials contact the T2 Center, which coordinates the dispatching of necessary equipment from other towns to the emergency site. To date, 84 towns, cities and counties participate in the Mutual Aid program and DesRoches hopes all municipalities will eventually be part of the successful initiative.
Many Public Works departments found themselves in need of more equipment to handle all the emergency work required after 13 inches of rain fell in May 2005 in parts of New Hampshire. Mutual Aid Agreements helped six communities locate needed equipment and personnel in partnering towns. Assisting municipalities provided flaggers, trucks and drivers, barricades and backhoes to the affected communities of Allenstown, Bow, Goffstown, New Boston, Newmarket and Milford in the most widespread use of mutual aid agreements in New Hampshire.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 26-Feb-2008 16:14:38 EST