Combining Forces to Improve Nigeria’s Road Infrastructure

Geneva Rock Products welcomed the Ministry of Works Department of the Nigerian Government to its Point of the Mountain Quarry in Draper last week as part of a cross-country educational partnership. The 19 member delegation came to Utah for a week-long introduction to Superpave asphalt technology. Guests included John Azubuike Ibe, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Public Works and Musa Ibrahim, PhD, the Ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts.

After years of turmoil and political reconstruction, Nigeria is taking steps to improve state sponsored infrastructure country-wide. The Ministry of Works Department is currently transitioning from building traditional Nigerian roadways to using Superpave technology to improve longevity of their road systems. Geneva Rock was happy to be a resource for this education.

“We consider this a fabulous opportunity to not only build our community, but to help build the world,” said Jim Golding, President of Geneva Rock Products. “Sharing information through progressive relationships is simply another way we can give back in a format that provides great value.”

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Utah’s Highway Boss Wants More Transparency, Collaboration

The Utah Department of Transportation has not been transparent enough about its decisions and spending, fueling scandals and eroding public trust.

Sometimes, the agency has been so focused on building big road projects quickly that quality concerns came second. And it has missed opportunities to partner with other agencies to reduce air pollution by connecting better with mass transit or adding bicycle lanes and better walkways.

Instead, they come from Carlos Braceras, UDOT’s new executive director.These criticisms come not from the environmentalists who often fight UDOT or the stuck-in-traffic commuters who often curse it.

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Transportation Experts to Lawmakers: Problems Loom, Plans in Place

There is a looming problem with Utah’s transportation system, namely that cities, counties, the state, and the nation simply don’t have the money necessary to fund new projects while maintaining the system we currently have.

It is with that backdrop Thursday morning that lawmakers in the Transportation Interim Committee listened to ideas addressing the $26 billion shortfall expected to befall the state over the next 30 years—even with smart planning, the state is expected to be short $11 billion in current dollars by 2044.

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