Why is Pavement Preservation Important?
by
Sui Tan
| Jan 19, 2017
2017 arrives with many uncertainties, along with a new president. There is, however, a consensus in infrastructure investment. So at the minimum, systems preservation will be in the spot light. I have made one and only one New Year resolution this year – getting more local agencies to subscribe to pavement preservation.
What is Pavement Preservation?
I have been involved in pavement management system (PMS) for more than 15 years, with another 10 earlier years in highway and bridge design and construction. However, I keep seeing local agencies practicing worst-first strategy. In managing pavement asset, you can’t run a pavement management program without understanding what pavement preservation is. Pavement management and pavement preservation are integral; they have to rely on each other to reap the maximum benefit. What is pavement preservation? It is a cost effective system to extend pavement service life without adding any capacity, while providing safe travel and acceptable level of service.
Tools to Sell Your Pavement Preservation Program
MAP-21 codified preservation in the transportation act, FAST act continues the preservation effort. There is a new round of Every Day Count 4 (EDC4) that will focus on when, where and how on pavement preservation. More recently, as a member of the FHWA Pavement Preservation Experts Task Group (PPETG), we are working on a benefit calculator that will help executive staff and elected officials to monetize the importance of pavement preservation. Preliminary responses from the pavement management and preservation communities have been very supportive. I think EDC4 can potentially develop this benefit calculator into a smartphone or web app for public agencies to explain why we should maintain good roads.
Maybe you don’t know how to sell it to elected officials? TRB has developed a playbook (NCHRP Report 742): Communicating the Value of Preservation. This book includes all the materials needed to run a successful communication campaign on pavement preservation. It is a book that you should keep by your desk.
Pave 10% More Streets with Current Funding
Couple with the communication playbook and benefit calculator, if your upper management and elected officials are still not sold on the idea of pavement preservation, maybe this last ditch will do the trick. How about telling them with the current funding, you will be able to save your agency 10% of the budget or you can pave 10% more streets this year if they subscribe to pavement preservation. I will show you how on our upcoming webinar in April.