2013 - ADB - Recent Trends in Road Asset Management Workshop

This document contains the workshop proceedings from the Transport Community of Practice Workshop on Road Asset Management held at the ADB headquarters on 25-26 November 2013. This includes summaries for each session, case studies tackled, and key conclusions and actions.

Road Asset Management (RAM) has long been an important area of intervention for Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance to its developing member countries (DMCs). This reflects the demands of DMCs for rational, transparent, and sustainable use of road assets, which ADB aims to support through technical assistance, grant, and loan projects extended to road agencies of DMCs.

As part of the overall Improving Road Asset Management in Asia and the Pacific (iRAM) initiative, a workshop was held on 25-26 November 2013 at the ADB Headquarters in Manila. The workshop identified the recent development in RAM, identified successes and failures, and learned from a number of case studies around the world. Presenters included individuals from ADB, the World Bank, the Department of Public Works and Highways (the Philippines), and established academic institutions.

The workshop's key findings and conclusions as well as actions moving forward: (i) RAM needs to be considered as an integral part of project arrangements. To achieve this, additional RAM capability to support projects in the development phase will likely be required; (ii) A RAM maturity  assessment that is applicable to those authorities just commencing RAM is required; (iii) A long-term (5-10 year) plan is required for the establishment of a sustainable RAM program within a road authority (based on the findings of the maturity assessment); and (iv) Information technology systems and associated data collection should be kept to a minimum level to increase the chances of attaining a sustainable RAM outcome.