A subcommittee of the road sector for the Social Infrastructure Council, an advisory body to Land Minister submitted a proposal regarding anti-deterioration measures of roads to the minister, mapping out a policy to integrate all resources from public, private and academia for road maintenance. Upon the proposal, the ministry will address measures such as preparing the cost estimation standards, enlarging the size of bidding packages, and offering assistance to local municipalities.
The committee suggested that all road infrastructure including 700,000 bridges and 10,000 tunnels should be inspected every five year based on the government’s common standards and that all the records of repair works should be kept. To establish the good cycle of maintenance, the proposal gives detailed approaches from various perspectives such as budgets, system, technologies and public understanding.
One of the approaches is taking advantages of private sector’s technical capabilities. The committee proposes establishment of certified license system for infrastructure experts.
Receiving the proposal on April 14, Minister Akihiro Ota expressed his determination to realize the suggestions to strengthen the maintenance businesses in Japan. A ministerial official said that it is necessary to make maintenance businesses profitable as well as for Japan as a global front runner in the infrastructure maintenance to contribute to other countries because demand of rehabilitation works in emerging Asian countries will increase in the near future. (2014/04/15)