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The importance of Infrastructure ProjectsJohn Constance

MSc in Project Management, University of Liverpool

IntroductionThe importance of infrastructure to society cannot be overemphasized as theentire civil engineering system of cities; towns and even villages are made up ofthe built environment of infrastructure, such as hospitals, corrections, educationand health facilities, and airports, roads, railroads, and harbours, energy utilities,mines, offshore facilities, and pipelines(Goodman, A. & Hastak, M. 2006).Infrastructure projects is so important that without it societies will have noestablished goals and objectives, or properly identify and analyse their problems,their development and management opportunities, or find solutions, formulatealternatives and priorities and develop tangible decisions to design, plan,construct, operate and manage their built environment and improve the lives ofpeople and society at large.

Infrastructure projects and the development of societyInfrastructure sustains economic development, whether in conflict situation or ina developing society. A society without projects that involves infrastructure willbecome inadequate and inefficient and will be prevented the realization of a fullgrowth economy no matter what progress is going on other fronts.

Examples of this argumentThe country Liberia, a highly indebted and poor country, went through 14 years

of civil war and many years of government mismanagement, which destroyed thecountry's economy, particularly its infrastructure.

Before the conflict, infrastructure projects for roads and bridges were the core jobemployment and economic growth activity and services. During the conflict,warring factions damaged, destroyed and vandalized roads and bridges.However, they sustained their roads and bridge projects, aware of the fact that ifthis activity were to stop their tactics or movement of goods, services andsupplies would simply end (Liberia Economy, 2012).

Another infrastructure is the countrys electricity grid, also vandalized during the

conflict, but kept alive at the minimum by the United Nations and its foreignassistance partners owing to the fact that they too needed to survive their qualityof life through the supply of electricity. Today electricity is an ongoinginfrastructure project activity that continues to be supported by the government,foreign partners and the private sector.

Today, roads and bridges and electricity are essential infrastructure projectsactivities ongoing based on the demand by the people, the government andforeign partners.

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Benefits and challenges of infrastructure projectsBenefits:

It brings together all stakeholders to work together for one integrated goal

It drives long-term economic growth, and competition amongst businesses

and industry and their goods and services (HM Treasury, NationalInfrastructure Plan 2011, 2011)

Infrastructure project tackles citizens demand for basic services in a cost-effective and ecologically sustainable manner.

It promotes holistic thinking, process orientation, cost tracing, and effectiveuncertainty management (Santander & Sanchez-Silva, 2007)

It provides housing, education, health, civic buildings, roads, water,sewerage, harbours, and other industrial and commercial and small andmedium buildings

Challenges:

Managing the many stakeholders and their diverse expectations (Howes, R.& Robinson, H. 2005)

Managing the change required to move traditional engineering practices toa new paradigm course of action

Balancing infrastructure projects between rural regions and urban areas Interacting society and the environment with infrastructure projects

Involving finance and management approaches in infrastructure projects

Securing public private partnership in financing infrastructure projects

ConclusionThe importance of infrastructure project remains the core for sustained economicdevelopment. As shown from the Liberian context, infrastructure projects play akey role in the quality of life whether before, during and after conflicts. Thebenefits generate economic and social growth. The challenge is to makeinfrastructure assets meet the needs of the whole population, resolve genderissues, promote research and development, large-scale engineering, criticalinfrastructure, rural/urban balance and stakeholders expectation requirementsmanagement.

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References

Goodman, A. & Hastak, M (2006) Infrastructure planning handbook: planning,engineering, and economics. New York: ASCE Press.

Howes, R. & Robinson, H. (2005). Infrastructure for the built environment: globalprocurement strategies. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann

HM Treasury, National Infrastructure Plan 2011(2011) The importance of Infrastructure for thenortheast [Online] Available from:

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http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/national_infrastructure_plan2011.htm

Liberia Economy (2012) CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES [Online]Available from: http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/liberia/liberia_economy.html

Santander, C. & Sanchez-Silva, M. (2007) Design and maintenance programme optimization for

large infrastructure systems, Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 4 (4), pp. 297-309.