I’m excited about the upcoming start to the 9th International Conference on Managing Pavement Assets that begins Monday, May 18th in Alexandria, VA. This conference represents “the event” for pavement management practitioners around the world, bringing together individuals involved in all aspects of pavement management. The conference is generally held every three to four years and it typically rotates between North America and the rest of the world. The last time it was held within the continental United States was 2001, so I am particularly excited about the opportunity for US-based states, local agencies, and airports to hear about practices in other countries.
During the conference you’ll have plenty of exposure to all kinds of technical subjects, from recent data collection developments to building more sustainable pavements. A number of particularly relevant topics will be covered, including improving data quality and accountability, addressing natural disasters and resiliency, and incorporating innovation into pavement management. The technical program is extremely strong and promises to be worth the investment of time that you will be making.
I’ll be presenting the keynote address on Tuesday morning. My presentation will describe some of transformations that have taken place previously to shape today’s pavement management practices and set the stage for the next transformations that will ensure the viability of pavement management into the future. I hope you will find it to be informative and inspiring.
The conference also provides many opportunities to network with other practitioners during the breaks, at the conference reception on Monday night, and at the gala dinner on Wednesday night. In past years, the social events have been a lot of fun and a great way to get to know attendees in a relaxed setting.
I’ve been able to attend 7 of the prior 8 conferences and have left each conference with new ideas and new friends. Whether this is your first ICMPA conference or your ninth conference, I’m confident that this will be a positive experience for you. I look forward to seeing you!
Katie Zimmerman, President
Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. (APTech)
Katie Zimmerman will be the Keynote Speaker at the upcoming 9th International Conference on Managing Pavement Assets