122 There were other considerations as well, according to Plantier who noted “the theoretical lifespan of a bridge varies according to the type of structure, how it’s used, and above all, its surveillance and maintenance.” The Cerema team also had to factor in the age of each bridge and inconsistencies in ongoing maintenance. A Countrywide Census on Limited Time To tackle the scope of the bridge census and assessment, Cerema staff coordinated 250 agents from 30 different contractors over a two-year period that wrapped up in 2023. Cerema also needed to establish ongoing communication with many local authorities from the 11,500 participating municipalities. The timeline was tight as Cerema had only six months to prepare and 18 months to perform the total census. “Such a massive program requires a dedicated information system.” — Thomas Plantier, director of digital transformation, Cerema Cerema staff and contractors had to be able to enter data, including location and images, while in the field and possibly offline. In the office, they needed a database, a public map, and a health diary of each bridge and its associated retaining wall. Management wanted to visualize the data and monitor progress, and the agency had to compartmentalize contractor information for data security. Most importantly, the tools had to be easy for all stakeholders to use. To execute the complex bridge assessment survey, Cerema gave crews access to ArcGIS Survey123, a mobile GIS app for phones or tablets. “The survey included about 150 questions for each type of structure, and there was also the 12-page health diary that required a lot of conditionality management,” Plantier said. In total, the team of 250 field agents surveyed 45,000 of France’s bridges and retaining walls. Office staff created interactive dashboards using ArcGIS Dashboards to display inspection progress and results. Operators in the field were able to quickly adapt to the digital tools. Improving Future Maintenance and Safety At the end of the census, Cerema had provided a comprehensive picture of the current conditions of thousands of bridges and retaining walls across France. An interactive online map brought together all the data and made it accessible for public use. The assessment showed that 10 percent of the structures surveyed required immediate attention to ensure public safety, and 21 percent need significant repairs. Enabled by The National Bridge Program involved assessing bridges and retaining walls in more than 11,540 municipalities. This map brings together all the public information that was collected.
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