Southeast Michigan selected for Regional Infrastructure Asset Management Pilot

On Monday, April 3, Governor Snyder selected SEMCOG to lead a comprehensive infrastructure management pilot project. This project will result in recommendations for creating a statewide infrastructure asset management system. Putting the various components of our infrastructure into one database will make it possible to map them, showing where investment can be leveraged with the greatest impact.

The Governor’s Executive Directive brings to life a recommendation from his 21st Century Infrastructure Commission. Collection and analysis of data showing where above- and below-ground infrastructure exist for areas such as transportation, water, and energy utilities will create the opportunity for more strategic and efficient maintenance of our infrastructure across jurisdictions.

I am excited about this opportunity to implement a coordinated asset management approach, allowing us to consider each component of our infrastructure when making decisions. In SEMCOG’s years of experience applying an asset management approach to transportation planning, we have learned that:

• We need to invest more;
• We need to collect data and information so we can plan and invest wisely; and
• We need to coordinate infrastructure providers to save costs and reduce disruption to the public

Implementing a comprehensive infrastructure management system will provide the data needed for sound investment decisions. While this concept is simple, the challenge is in the details.

In Southeast Michigan, we will convene an advisory group made up of public and private infrastructure providers and state and local technical experts to provide policy guidance. Together the group will:

• Identify and define infrastructure asset data needs, such as location, condition, material, and age;
• Identify existing data;
• Identify criteria for a database system to manage the data;
• Identify software and analysis tools that will help with infrastructure planning and investment;
• Ensure both access and security of data and information;
• Identify training needs for users; and
• Estimate costs.

As we work with state, regional, and local agencies to share information, sift through the details, and set priorities, we believe the lessons we learn will provide the foundation for implementing comprehensive asset management statewide. We are excited about this next step in regional coordination for Southeast Michigan and look forward to helping to bring Michigan’s infrastructure into the 21st Century.