March 2017 | Business View Magazine

158 159 in municipally-owned roads and bridges is not sufficient to prevent a decline in infrastructure conditions over time. The challenge of securing long-term, sustainable funding for transporta- tion is an ongoing concern, given the fiscal real- ities most regions are facing. Alternative financ- ing models, such as public-private partnerships, offer opportunities to fund projects and share the risks and benefits of investing in transporta- tion. Asset management programs, which help ensure those investments are made in the right projects at the right time, are being implement- ed in more and more jurisdictions. Furthermore, when managing assets, means to include social, The Transportation Association of Canada environmental, and innovation factors along with traditional condition data is of growing importance. In all aspects of modern life, technology is changing rapidly. In transportation, technological developments have potentially profound impacts on demand for, and construction, operation, maintenance, and delivery of, infrastructure and services. The future will look different than the present as automated and connected vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and electrification initiatives change transportation as we know it. Connectivity also means vast amounts of data are generated that offer potential to improve transportation, but processing and analyzing the data so that it is useful for decision-makers and understood by the public can be challenging. In urban areas, greater attention is being paid to the integration of land-use planning and transportation, recognizing the potential that offers to improve mobility and enhance urban form. Increasing the use of active modes of trans- portation, like walking and cycling, offers benefits for both individual and en-