CUTR Publication Encourages Local Governments to Use Pavement Management Systems

Pavement Management Systems for Local Governments is a new CUTR publication promoting the use of pavement management systems (PMSs) by local governments. The purpose of the booklet is to promote PMS education, stimulate and facilitate discussion of PMSs, and encourage coordinated PMS development at the local government level throughout Florida. Contributions to the booklet were made by numerous organizations, including the Florida Department of Transportation, the American Public Works Association, the TRB Subcommittee on Local PMS, and various local governments in Florida. The booklet is targeted to local government officials and employees responsible for managing a city's or county's road network. It begins by presenting questions typically addressed by most road supervisors, city/county engineers, or public works directors:

  1. Which roads should be repaired first?
  2. Which road repairs should be delayed in order to make other repairs?
  3. How often should routine maintenance be done on our roads?
  4. What is the most economical way to spend our maintenance budget?

The remainder of the booklet focuses on showing readers how a PMS provides the best answers to these questions. Sections include What is a PMS?, Why Use a PMS?, How Does a PMS Work?, and Where Are PMS Efforts Being Made (National, State, and Local)?

CUTR's work with the City of Port Orange (FL) to establish a PMS is presented as a case study, and a list of resources for help and information on PMSs is included.

The benefit of a PMS is best portrayed by the pavement life cycle curve. The curve illustrates that it is more expensive to repair a city's worst roads than it is to spend the money to keep roads in excellent to good condition. This "worst first" approach to maintenance can be avoided with the help a good PMS. Using data gathered on the road network, the PMS can generate reports showing where to spend money now to avoid higher costs later. A PMS may recommend deferring improvement to poor or failed roads in favor of improving good roads before they fail. This is the kind of cost-saving that makes a PMS worthwhile.

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 requires the creation of a PMS for the National Highway System (NHS) and other federal-aid highways not on the NHS. Currently under debate is a proposal by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to make states responsible for fulfillment of this requirement and to make receipt of federal funding contingent upon fulfillment. If it becomes a state responsibility, it is conceivable that states will pass some of the responsibility to local governments with NHS or other federal-aid highways within their jurisdictions. In this case, Pavement Management Systems for Local Governments would become an especially valuable resource for local governments.

For further information, contact CUTR Senior Research Associate Michael C. Pietrzyk, P.E.




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