International Road Federation

International Road Federation
Motto "Better Roads. Better World."[1]
Founded 1948
Type Non-governmental organization
Location
Website IRF homepage

The International Road Federation is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization with the mission to encourage and promote development and maintenance of better, safer and more sustainable roads and road networks. Working together with members and associates in 118 countries, the IRF promotes social and economic benefits that flow from well planned and environmentally sound road transport networks. It helps put in place technological solutions and management practices that provide maximum economic and social returns from national road investments.[2] The organization is funded primarily through member fees.

The IRF seeks to promote the benefits of a sustainable road transport infrastructure at all levels of society. It organizes seminars, workshops and events for a broad range of audiences throughout the world. IRF has a number of publications and a transport knowledge library.

History

The IRF was established in 1948 in Washington DC, USA following the end of World War II. Due to massive damage sustained by roads and bridges during the war and an emphasis on a wartime economy, coupled with shortages of gasoline and road-building materials, road networks were neglected and in need of improvement.[3] New road building technologies and more efficient utilization of highway transport had been developed during the war. However, these were understood and applied in only a relatively few countries. IRF took a leading role in the post war reconstruction of road networks.

IRF was granted a special consultative status with the United Nations in 1951 as both an economic and technical expert body in the exchange and application of best practices in road planning and construction. IRF participates in the work of the UNECE, BSEC, EU, World Bank and the European Committee for Standardization.[4]

Activities

IRF has four working groups that each deal with a different aspect of road infrastructure. The working groups are road safety, environment, road financing and intelligent transport systems. These working groups are an international platform that serves to bring together road sector experts around one particular subject. The groups function to disseminate knowledge and best practices.

Main Publications

See also

References

  1. ↑ IRF Homepage - About. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  2. ↑ IRF Homepage - About Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  3. ↑ IRF News - History Retrieved 18 November 2011
  4. ↑ IRF News - History Retrieved 18 November 2011

External links

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