International Road Federation
Encyclopedia
The International Road Federation (IRF) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that promotes the development and maintenance of roads, with a focus on safety and sustainability. The organization has two key functions, providing expertise on road issues to governments and financial institutions and serving as a network for its members. The members of the IRF range from national governments to construction firms and environmental groups and are located across six continents. The organization is funded primarily through member fees. The IRF has chapters in Geneva, Switzerland
, Washington D.C, USA and New Delhi
, India
with the Geneva chapter functioning as a headquarters.
The IRF is perhaps best known as the publisher of World Road Statistics (WRS), the authoritative collection of statistics used by the World Bank
. WRS was first published in 1964. World Road Statistics contains detailed country profiles and sections on road networks, traffic, multimodal traffic comparisons, vehicles, road accidents, production, imports, first registrations and exports, road expenditures and energy. The World Bank uses WRS in publishing its own World Development Indicators
.
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.
. 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. 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
.
The IRF organizes several regional conferences intending to draw international attention to regional road issues. They also provide training and educational programs for professionals and students. The IRF maintains a knowledge database called the Global Transport Knowledge Practice (gTKP) fitting with the goals of information dissemination and education.
In accordance with International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines the IRF created the CHANGER greenhouse gas
calculator that is for use in assessing the environmental impact of a road construction project. The calculator has been validated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
in Lausanne
. The software enables environmental assessment over the whole life cycle of a project.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Washington D.C, USA and New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with the Geneva chapter functioning as a headquarters.
The IRF is perhaps best known as the publisher of World Road Statistics (WRS), the authoritative collection of statistics used by the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
. WRS was first published in 1964. World Road Statistics contains detailed country profiles and sections on road networks, traffic, multimodal traffic comparisons, vehicles, road accidents, production, imports, first registrations and exports, road expenditures and energy. The World Bank uses WRS in publishing its own World Development Indicators
World Development Indicators
The World Development Indicators is the primary World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially-recognized international sources. It presents the most current and accurate global development data available, and includes national, regional and global estimates. This...
.
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 following the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. 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. 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
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
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
European Committee for Standardization
The European Committee for Standardization or Comité Européen de Normalisation , is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to foster the European economy in global trading, the welfare of European citizens and the environment by providing an efficient infrastructure to interested parties for...
.
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.The IRF organizes several regional conferences intending to draw international attention to regional road issues. They also provide training and educational programs for professionals and students. The IRF maintains a knowledge database called the Global Transport Knowledge Practice (gTKP) fitting with the goals of information dissemination and education.
In accordance with International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines the IRF created the CHANGER greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
calculator that is for use in assessing the environmental impact of a road construction project. The calculator has been validated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology may refer to one of two institutes of higher education in Switzerland:* ETH Zurich in Zurich* École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Lausanne...
in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
. The software enables environmental assessment over the whole life cycle of a project.
See Also
- Road transportRoad transportRoad transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
- Road traffic safety
- Road traffic accident
- Traffic managementTraffic managementTraffic management may refer to* Bandwidth management in computer networkingRoad traffic management in road transport* In combination with "policies", a black box of governmental or commercial policies...
- Intelligent transport systems