Fix the Roads! A Problem in Michigan and Beyond
Taxpayers want to know-When will we fix the roads? In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmore ran on a platform to Fix the Roads. The situation, however, requires more than catchy phrases. The road conditions relate to the history of road building. The first step to fixing the roads (at a policy level) is understanding the how and when of the building, and funding of roads.
Real-world data like this is how we like to frame our project-based learning.
Data, Data, Data! Using Data to Drive Informed Decisions
“Big Data” uses Business Intelligence to organize, analyze, report and publish that data into reports, dashboards and infographics. We have the tools: Excel, Smartsheet, Power BI.
Fix the Roads
The Infrastructure Bill of 2021 intends to fund repair and rebuilding of our roads and bridges, with attention to the future in terms of resiliency and safety. Each Smartsheet Project has different business intelligence that can be used to assign and manage Tasks.
That Depends
Miles of Road and Thousands of Bridges
The Michigan Department of Transportation is responsible for keeping all bridges are designed, built, maintained and operated to ensure safety. We can use Smartsheet to outline a bridge Project and use Dependencies to link one Task to another.
It Has to be Done
In the United States 1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges are in poor condition. (Whitehouse.gov) There is an urgent need to address the declining state of the infrastructure. Our work begins by defining the Tasks and assigning the right people
Any Updates?
The Blizzard of 2022, Ann Arbor, Michigan It takes approximately seven hours to clear fifteen miles of streets. Ann Arbor plows and treats 100 miles of major roads and 200 miles of residential streets. With Smartsheet, Contacts are notified of the assignment and any updates.
Where’s Darth Blader?
January 2022, Michigan’s Department of Transportation purchased 300 new snowplows and named them puny names. Where’s Darth Blader? Smartsheet uses Forms to capture all of the required data on the equipment purchased.
When Can You Work?
When Can You Work? How Soon Can You Get Here? Every business has to respond to major events. The department of transportation keeps an eye on the weather in Michigan. Smartsheet has options for recruiting the right snowplow drivers when needed.
How Much Did That Cost?
How Much Did That Cost? Many snow-belt states spent a big chunk of their budgets just handling winter road conditions. It costs the state of Michigan over $100 million dollars per year- just for salt!
How Bad Is It?
Evaluate the Data Bridges effect an entire community. Failed bridges may have posted loads reduced or be closed to traffic entirely until it can be rehabilitated or replaced. State and local governments can use the Smartsheet data to drive informed decisions.
If Not Now, When?
Working with Financial Functions Michigan has 11,173 bridges. 60% of these bridges are rated as Fair or Poor. How many bridges could be repaired today? We can use Smartsheet to organize the bridge projects by type of work, the location and when monies will be available.
Who Pays for This?
Prepare the Reports Local governments receive funding disbursements in parts throughout the year. We can use Smartsheet reports to document the projects, people, funding, and equipment
Data Driven Decisions
Data, Data, Data! A Dashboard is a live, interactive, view of the data. Dashboards are visual tools for users to see important information at a glance. We can use Smartsheet Dashboard to display and share reports, tables, charts, and images.
