The next 30 June is the dead line for the Italian local challenge submission: Improve the planning, operation and maintenance of transport infrastructures.

Transport is vital to the well-functioning of economic activities and a key to ensuring social well-being and cohesion of populations. Transport ensures everyday mobility of people and is crucial to the production and distribution of goods. Adequate transport infrastructure is a fundamental precondition for transport systems and is one of the most important factors for a country’s progress and competitiveness.

Since the mid-1990s, spending on transport infrastructure has increased significantly across Europe, reaching a peak in 2009. It has subsequently decreased each year. Despite these reductions, in 2014, the level of spending was 8 % higher than in 1995. Roads and rails, by far, attract most of the spending.

Infrastructure growth is slowing, so the maintenance, preservation, and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure are becoming increasingly more important. As public funding shifts from construction to maintenance, maintenance organizations become more accountable to administrators, politicians, and the public for a safe, convenient, and accessible transportation system. This shift in emphasis brings new governance and institutional issues.

Innovations in management systems, resources, materials, technology, equipment, and work methods help improve maintenance effectiveness and efficiency at the network and activity levels. Technology is changing the kinds of information that are available and must be maintained and, as a result, new maintenance procedures and different set of skills are being developed.

The present challenge is aimed at identifying innovative solutions that supports roads and rails planning, operation and maintenance by both transport infrastructure operators and Public Administrations that have policy and controlling roles.

The area of interest will be Italy and in particular Rome and its surroundings.

The remote sensing imagery provided comes from the Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 platforms.

Here the challenge announcement.

Find more info at BIC Lazio web site