Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority Hosts the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association's Maintenance & Roadway Operations Workshop

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016
CONTACT: Bill Cramer, Communications Director, IBTTA
202-659-4620 x26 | 202-210-2962 mobile

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHEN AND WHERE:
May 15-17, 2016, Hyatt Regency Newport, Newport, RI

WHAT:
People, partnerships and progress are not only the theme for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association's Maintenance & Roadways Operations Workshop, but a call to action IBTTA's three-day conference, May 15 to 17, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Newport, will bring together transportation and tolling industry experts from around the world to address the major infrastructure, funding and maintenance challenges they are facing. The Workshop will focus on topics such as:

The future of on-road technologies including connected vehicles;
Drone use and policy;
Integrated systems managements and operation for the future; and
Law Enforcement and incident management.

Please view the entire agenda here.

WHO:
Interview Opportunities:
Earl J. "Buddy" Croft, III, Executive Director, Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority and President, IBTTA, Jamestown, RI
James Manni, Director of Operations, Safety & Security, Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, Jamestown, RI
Daniel Jacobs, PP, General Manager, Transportation and Revenue, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York, NY
Trey Baker, Associate Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Austin, TX
Toshiyuki Oka, Engineer, and Juan Takeuchi, Manager, NEXCO-Central, Nagoya, Japan
Peter Merfeld, Chief Operating Officer, Maine Turnpike Authority, Portland, ME
Patrick D. Jones, Executive Director and CEO, IBTTA, Washington, D.C.
For a full list of speakers, please click here

SERVICE PROJECT TO BENEFIT FORT ADAMS:
Traditionally, this conference provides an opportunity for attendees to give back to the local community by participating in a local service project. This year's effort will benefit Fort Adams, part of Fort Adams State Park. For more than 60 years, parts of the park have not been available to the public due to a lack of funding and safety concerns. Working in partnership with the local Boys and Girls Club, that serves the youth of Newport County, especially the underserved of Newport and the James L. Maher Center, a group that integrates individuals with developmental challenges into the workforce, IBTTA volunteers will focus on making the Castle Fort, or Southern Redoubt, accessible for the enjoyment of the public, but also to serve a greater good. With the grand opening of the Castle Fort, stable and ongoing employment opportunities necessary for maintaining the Fort and conducting tours will be created. With these opportunities, the Fort will proudly be able to provide jobs to those with developmental challenges. The one-day volunteer effort will include constructing a bridge across the original moat, building staircases, clearing debris, planting shrubs and painting.

CONTACT:
Registration is complimentary for journalists with press credentials.
For more information about registering as a member of the press, please contact Bill Cramer, Communications Director at [email protected] or 202-210-2962.
For more information, go to www.ibtta.org/events.
To register, please contact Harry Smith at [email protected].

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About RITBA
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority operates and maintains the Mount Hope Bridge, the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge, and Route 138 through Jamestown, the Newport Pell Bridge, and the Sakonnet River Bridge. RITBA was created in 1954 by the Rhode Island General Assembly as a body corporate and politic, with powers to construct, acquire, maintain, and operate bridge projects as defined by law. For more information, visit www.ritba.org.

About IBTTA
The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in 22 countries on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.