Paul Blomberg, Stuart-Nechako Timber Sales Office Dona Stapley, Resource Tenures and Engineering Branch Safe Roads with Information Management

To make industrial roads safe, we need to record, track and store information about the road…. But how? Introduction

Road Information Management Systems  Road users must be aware of road conditions for instance (i.e. maintenance standards, load rating for structures, and radio frequency).  This information is specifically tied to safety concerns (i.e. keeping track of maintenance schedules for brushing to improve sightlines or repairing stream crossing structures).  If we can efficiently manage and use road information, we can make industrial roads safer.

Road Information Management Systems What does Genus do? Tracks tabular and spatial information. Captures: Road Attributes (i.e. road steward, radio frequency, and tenure) Road Activities (i.e. construction, inspection, maintenance, deactivation) Structures Reports Example: BC Timber Sales and ‘Genus’

BCTS Genus Driving Speeds - Genus allows us to track Haul Speed and Posted Speed for our roads as an attribute - we can also track Radio Frequency. This is good to know - but what of other perspectives? Driving speed and commuting time. Speed limits, road design, or levels of maintenance. Radio use on industrial roads.

BCTS Genus This is largely a planning perspective - what do the loggers have to say about this? Signs and speed control on our forest roads - is a must. Speeding, were commented on, was required to meet appraisal cycle times. Sounding board - regarding cycle times and road conditions.

BCTS Genus Policy Perspectives… An initiative led by the Forest Service is currently under way to develop consistent standards for Resource Roads in British Columbia. Seven (7) ministries presently have various jurisdictions over aspects of resource roads – this will be replaced by the Resource Roads Act.

BCTS Genus Road Use Agreements can detail – maintenance schedules – and maintenance costs. Planners have suggested that road use permits are weak. Loggers suggest that routine maintenance should be mandatory.

Going forward what is your opinion, as a meeting participant, regarding best practices that are in use today – or should be used to improve safety for industrial roads users and the public? BCTS Genus

The Resource Road Act The proposed Resource Road Act will address industrial road safety: Demands homogenized construction, maintenance and deactivation standards across the province; Prohibits unauthorized industrial users; Controls road use standards; Prohibits the unauthorized connection of other roads; Authority has the ability to close unsafe or unstable roads; Road and vehicle inspections are legislated; Authority may establish measures to improve the safety and flow of high traffic roads.

The Resource Road Act  The Resource Road Act will require the development or modification of road information management processes.  These processes must meet the needs of all affected agencies and organizations.

What information needs to be collected to support the safety issues addressed by the Resource Road Act? What is your number one concern about industrial road safety? What information would you need to solve this problem? What is the best way to collect, store and access this information? What other information should be monitored to make industrial roads safer? List as many items as you can. Road information is only useful to the road user if it is accurate and up to date. What are your ideas for making sure information remains correct and current? How do we exchange up-to-date road safety information with non-industrial road users (i.e. public)?

BCTS Genus FREP Report #12 Forest and Range Evaluation Program Worker Safety Impacts Associated with Legislation, Policy, Planning and Implementation of Forest Harvesting Activities in British Columbia. ISBN