Engineering and Construction
Topic:
Transportation systems
Type of work:
Term Paper
You can use mid Atlantic pipeline system or air traffic system, river ports. As you topic
Suggest an infrastructure system or issue. One type is description of an infrastructure
system not covered in the course, such as the Mid Atlantic pipeline system, the Northeast
Air traffic system, Delaware River ports, etc. Another is a case history where there was
complex financial, physical setting, stakeholder or environmental issues. Describe a better
way (in hindsight) as per today’s practices. In general, papers should describe the physical
system, the value of the project or system to its owners and the public, quantities expected
in an engineering report, the sources of capital and operation funds, project management
structure, etc. The paper must be submitted in professional format, maximum 10 pages of
text, with accompanying figures, tables, etc. as appropriate.
River Port Transport System
Transport infrastructures are vital aspects of the economic and social development of nations and regions. Transport infrastructure enhances connectivity, convenience and enables operations such as business and interactions among people in different places. In this regard, nations are continuously developing transport infrastructure in the interest of the citizens business, financial and social needs. Delaware River ports one of the transports has developed in different locations with navigable rivers to enhance the movement of people and goods from one point to another. Nations invest in such projects with the view that the citizens will greatly benefit through convenience and other benefits that come with such projects. Equally important, there is a need to understand the different aspects of commencement of projects to their completion. In this regard, one considers the physical system, the benefits of the projects, the engineering quantities report, sources of funds and capital and project management structure in the course of conducting a cost-benefit analysis. Delaware River ports infrastructure construction can be evaluated from its commencement to the final project and other vital aspects and factors surrounding the project.
Delaware River port physical system
The physical system entails the description of the actual river port system and its operations in meeting the set goals and objectives. In this regard, the river port physical system explains the transports system process that journey starts and ends under the stated infrastructure (Schmalz, 2008). In this case, the river port is composed of four smart bridges that are distributed along the river occupying the areas between Delaware River, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The bridges include Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman and Bern Franklin bridges. The bridges enhance the operation of a transit line that runs between the areas of Camden County, New Jersey and Center City Philadelphia.
Initially, people wishing to cross the Delaware River experienced challenges when they wished to travel from New Jersey to New York or Pennsylvania. Different solutions ware developed to counter the challenge but the construction of the bridges was the outstanding solution. In this regard, a series of bridges were constructed to promote the transport system (Schmalz, 2008). The first bridge was Milford-Delaware Bridge at Sussex County; however, the bridge was swept by floods. Consequently, Delaware Aqueduct was constructed in 1848 to carry water and canal boats above the river. The bridge structure was composed of mules for walking along in the course of pulling crafts. Additionally, the Ding Ferry Bridge was constructed for the operation of ferries. As at now, Delaware has 16 bridges at the Bucks county linking New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The bridges are constructed differently to accommodate different vehicles, and freighters linking them to different places.
Value of the River ports to the owns and the public
The River ports of Delaware have different benefits to the users and the owners especially in enhancing transportation and convenience. The river ports provide a platform for regional trade and industry. Different places connected by the bridges produce different products and services that are needed in other regions (Almaz and Altiok, 2012). In this case, the presence of the bridges makes it possible to transfer goods and services from one region to another thus enhancing business operation.
The river ports act as an interface towards urban freight transport. The urban centres rely on effective transport to ensure that operations can be run smoothly and effectively. Transport in urban centres is needed in moving goods, services and people from one place to the other where they are needed (Almaz and Altiok, 2012). People move in their places of work from o9ne place to another and good and services are facilitated through transport. Therefore, the river ports enhance the transport connection in urban centres.
River ports have great economic importance as they ensure that business can thrive. The local and regional economy business environment is made vibrant as businesses and operates an inconvenient environment that ensures that goods and services can be received and distributed to different places (Almaz and Altiok, 2012). The river ports give shippers, freight transport, forwarders, freight transport users and businesses a point of meeting to make choices on destinations, cost of logistics operation, clients and products thus ensuring that business operations can effectively thrive.
The river ports are vital to users and their owners as they are in a position to create many and different opportunities. The transport system creates different business opportunities as the services of people operating in the transport industry are needed (Almaz and Altiok, 2012). The employment opportunities available include transport management jobs that result in the creation of urban business hubs. The job created ensures that a place becomes economically vibrant in the interest of the citizens.
Quantities expected in an engineering report
Unit Description Quantity material rate Labor rate
1. Commodore steel
Design and construction
Traffic lanes construction cost
Labor
miscellaneous
2. Walt Whitman Bridge steel
Traffic lane construction
design and construction
Labor
miscellaneous
3. Benjamin Franklin Bridge steel
design and construction
Traffic lane
Labor
miscellaneous
4. Betsy Ross Bridge steel quantity
design and construction
Traffic lanes construction
Labor
miscellaneous
Total costs
Sources of capital and operation funds
The river ports need to be constructed using external and internal funds to ensure that the project is completed and progressively developed. The external funds can be generated from the World Bank, and International Monetary funds (Khmel and Zhao, 2016). Funds from international organizations ensure that massive projects can be effectively executed and thus increase levels of success. The internal funds can be generated through taxpayers money through funds received from the federal government, local and state government. The internal funds ensure that external funds are supplemented to sufficiently complete the project and customize it to the needs of the locals. Additionally, there are internal funds generated fees generated in toll station within the river ports and other fees charged from the members of the public through the use of the River Ports. The funds and fees generated through the use of the 20River port will be used for management purposes, improving and maintaining the transport system.
Project management structure
The Delaware River ports management is conducted under 1an authority with duties and obligations to manage, plan and construct transport facilities and give transport services in the interest of safety and efficiency in the course of movement of people and goods. The authority is bi-state, self-financing and created form the compact between the 6common wealth of State of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and approved by the United States Congress.
The authority works in the interest of ensuring that the River Port can progressively advance and increase levels of convenience. In this case, the authority is committed to the adoption of highly integrated and strategic transport technology to enhance the safety of the bridges operational efficiency and improve the flow of traffic. For instance, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) has been in a position to develop and initiate Smart Bridges. The smart bridges program has made it easy to achieve regional urgency, customer-friendly transportation and general efficiency. Consequently, the DRPA has consistently replaced the aging technology with new technology thus ensuring that the bridges continue to serve the region in the long run. The smart bridges are characterized by video surveillance systems, EZ Pass, computerized traffic control systems and joining hands with local universities to enhance the acquiring of innovative technologies to manage the bridge. The Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) is managed and directed by commissioners from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The commissioners oversee the overall operations of the bridges to ensure they meet the regional transport goals and objectives.
Conclusion
The construction of River ports takes the consideration of different details and factors from the commencement to the completion of the project in the course of meeting the set goals and objective. The Riverport transport system is developed to address transport and convenience challenges. The construction is conducted by the installation and construction of a physical system that will be used for transportation and addressing the transportation challenge. The construction considers the value of the construction to the people, owners and another stakeholder. The cost-benefit analysis is used as the point of implementing a project. In this case, the river port enhances transportation of goods, people and goods, it creates an enabling business environment, it creates jobs and results to growth and development of urban centres as well as linking the urban centres. The quantities expected in the engineering report entails the cost of construction in terms of material, labour and other expenses. The source of the capital entails both the external and internal sponsor of the projects. The external sponsors include the international organization such as the World Bank and IMF. Lastly, there is the project management team that involves an authority that is made up of commissioners from different regions that the transit line will pass through.
References
Almaz, O. A., & Altiok, T. (2012). Simulation modeling of the vessel traffic in Delaware River: Impact of deepening on port performance. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 22, 146-165.
Khmel, V., & Zhao, S. (2016). Arrangement of financing for highway infrastructure projects under the conditions of Public–Private Partnership. IAtSS Research, 39(2), 138-145.
Schmalz, Jr, R. A. (2008). Towards the Development of the NOS Nowcast/Forecast System for Delaware River and Bay. In Estuarine and Coastal Modeling (2007) (pp. 704-723).
