In this public works edition of The Municipal, we have several pieces of good news to share. Foremost among them is that the APWA annual conference is nearly here again: that chance to get a handle on what’s coming down the pipeline, literally and figuratively. It’s your chance to ask questions about the new EPA standards, and OSHA regulations, take a close-up look at advanced deicing equipment and pedestrian traffic control devices, plus hear about some successes your counterparts have made happen and how you may be able to apply their experience to your jurisdiction.

“Breaking Boundaries” runs Aug. 17–20 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and will include more than 125 new education sessions covering case studies and best practices that apply to utilities, street commissioners, fleet managers, parks and recreation directors, water treatment professionals, engineers and other municipal professionals.

In addition to the annual storm-water summit and public works directors roundtable, sessions will touch on relevant subjects from public right-of-way to waste-water and emergency management, along with storm-water, traffic engineering, snow and ice and much more. Four keynote speakers will address attendees.

This month The Municipal features a couple interesting public works projects. Take a look at what is now the longest bridge span in the U.S. ever to have been installed via the slide method on page 16; and on page 10 you’ll find some insight into how the public works department of Cape Coral, Fla., developed its bridge-building skills.

Writer Ray Balogh spoke recently with a city for which infrared pothole technology has relieved the pothole workload. You can read about its experiences on page 12. But purchasing any new unit, whether that be a vehicle or a digital communication platform, requires capital that isn’t always available. That’s why we’d also like to call attention to ideas from The Municipal writer Keith Knepp on how to afford some of those big-ticket items. That story is on page 30.
Don’t let the summer get away from you. Get out there and have some fun. Safe travels to Toronto!

Jodi Magallanes
Editor