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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

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Road Maintenance

Road maintenance is the standard practice of preserving the roadways from damage and degradation.1 The primary purpose of the activities involved in road maintenance is to make sure that these roads remain durable, safe, and efficient in their function for as long as possible.2 This procedure helps vulnerable road users by enhancing their safety.3 The type and the number of vehicles are often considered when determining the right degree of maintenance for a particular road or road stretch.1

Considering this strategy will help achieve the goal of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Transportation lifecycle phases

This strategy is associated with the following transportation lifecycle phases:

  • Construction
  • End of Life
  • Maintenance
  • Material Selection
  • Operations
  • Policy and Planning
  • Project Development

Who's involved

  • Local governments
  • State governments
  • Transit agencies
Road maintenance is the standard practice of preserving the roadways from damage and degradation.1 The primary purpose of the activities involved in road maintenance is to make sure that these roads remain durable, safe, and efficient in their function for as long as possible.2
This procedure helps vulnerable road users by enhancing their safety.3 The type and the number of vehicles are often considered when determining the right degree of maintenance for a particular road or road stretch.1

How it Helps

Because poor roads can sometimes cause accidents on highways, using this strategy will decrease the incidence of car crashes. Additionally, if road maintenance is taken into account early on, the cost of repair is often lower compared to the cost of reconstruction.1 A well-maintained road will provide a smooth ride that is more pleasant to travel on, making transit consistently quicker.4 Consistent, proper maintenance of roadways can also reduce local air and noise pollution.5 Transit agencies and construction companies can also follow environmentally-sensitive road maintenance practices to reduce urban runoff.6

Implementing

Funding:

The cost of road maintenance is very expensive. The national average for road maintenance costs $18,668. Even so, several variables determine road maintenance costs in each state. Hence, funding should be made available for this strategy to be properly implemented.7

Proper Planning:

When implementing this strategy, it is important to take into account the many factors that contribute to the early degradation of roads, including vehicle loads, sunlight, water, and others. Planning should be done carefully to reduce the hazards that cause roads to deteriorate too soon. For instance, drainage system construction may assist by lessening floods and the amount of water on the roadways.

Challenges:

As traffic volume and the level of usage of transportation infrastructure increases, it can lead to road degregation. Additionally, if the road surface is not thick enough during construction, it can result in frequent road collapses.8

Examples

1) International Road Federation (IRF)

The International Road Federation (IRF) is an international nonprofit organization whose goal is to advocate and promote the construction and upkeep of better, safer, and more environmentally friendly roads and road networks. At all societal levels, IRF promotes the social and economic advantages of environmentally responsible and sustainable road transportation infrastructure. IRF works to implement technological advancements and operational procedures that maximize the economic and social benefits of national road investments. Additionally, the organization offers governments and financial institutions access to a broad knowledge for creating road development policies in all areas.

https://www.irf.global

2) Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)

The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) is a national institute that conducts research and development projects on the design, building, and maintenance of roads and runways, as well as the traffic and transportation planning of large- and medium-sized cities. CRRI is involved in managing roads in various terrains, improving marginal materials, and using industrial waste in road construction. CRRI prevents landslides, cleans up ground pollution, and analyses and designs roads for safety. The organization also engages in rehabilitating railroad and highway bridges.

https://www.crridom.gov.in

1. Emiedafe, W. (2016). ROAD MAINTENANCE: 4 critical functions of road Maintenance in Nigeria. Sapient Vendors. [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://sapientvendors.com.ng/road-maintenance-in-nigeria/
2. BituChem.(2020). What is road maintenance? [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.bituchem.com/knowledge-hub/what-is-road-maintenance/
3. BituChem. (2019). Road Maintenance and Why it is Important Locally and Nationally. [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.bituchem.com/road-maintenance-importance/
4. Jamal, H. (2017). Road Maintenance—Highways Maintenance. About Civil. [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://www.aboutcivil.org/maintenance-of-highways-roads.html
5. KonSULT. (2016). Road Maintenance. University of Leeds. http://www.konsult.leeds.ac.uk/pg/52/
6. https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/11771802.pdf
7. mHelpDesk News. (2018). Road maintenance costs in each state. [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://news.mhelpdesk.com/mhelpdesk-community/road-maintenance-costs-in-each-state/
8. Poudel, E.M.K. (2020). What is road maintenance? : 4 types, precautions & factors affecting road maintenance. Dream Civil. [cited 2022 Jul 5]. Available from: https://dreamcivil.com/road-maintenance/