This paper presents a "new way of doing business" for a large public sector road agency in Australia. The new approach involves an integrated framework for road system asset management, known in the Queensland Department of Main Roads (QDMR) as the Road System Manager (RSM) Framework. The stewardship practices in QDMR, as a decentralized agency, have led over the years to inconsistencies in work practices and standards, funding allocations, and road system performance. Investment decisions were often based on local assessment of needs and priorities, and historical regional funding levels that did not necessarily reflect true needs. This has led to real andpotential inefficiencies in delivering its road system management achievements. Responding to these systematic issues, QDMR has adopted radical improvements comprising integrated road system management, which is underpinned by the principle of sound forward planning of road system investments and delivery of system preservation and improvements according to a consistent state-wide approach to identifying and prioritising investment needs. This new approach - the Road System Manager Framework - has required considerable organisational effort. The changes have necessitated considerable investment of time and costs into business process re-engineering, review of business system support arrangements, and management of cultural change. For the covering abstract see ITRD E139491.
Abstract