Types of Road Maintenance and Cost of Neglecting Their Timely Execution

It is an established fact that an efficient road transport system is critical for economic development of a country. Considerable resources are devoted to roads' construction and improvements. The resultant road networks usually have an asset value that represents a significant proportion of national wealth. If the preservation of roads i.e., maintenance is neglected, it will not only lower the value of vital asset of the country but will also slow down its economic growth.

?There are various categories of road maintenance.?

Routine Maintenance are carried out independent of the traffic volume or geometric characteristics. Examples are cutting grass, clearing drains, ditches and culvert maintenance, bridge maintenance, road sign maintenance etc.

?Recurrent Maintenance are required at intervals throughout the year depending on the traffic, topography, and climate. Examples are repairing potholes, surface patching, sealing cracks, edge repairs, road marking repair etc.

Periodic Maintenance are required at intervals of several years, depending on the traffic and rate of deterioration. Examples are surface dressing, thin and thick overlays, mill and replace, fog seal, slurry seal, single surface dressing, re-gravelling unpaved roads, full depth reconstruction, etc. ??

Special Maintenance are emergency work which needs to be carried out immediately to avoid danger to traffic. Examples are accident damage repairs, clearing debris, replacing washout, salting/gritting, snow removal, unblock drains, etc.

The activities described above as ‘periodic’ are those which have to be carefully planned and programmed and which are the most expensive.

Cost of Neglecting Timely Execution of Maintenance Activities

The rate of deterioration will depend on several factors including the traffic loading, the type of pavement, the climate, and the environment. Eventually the end of a pavement’s design life will be reached and there will be a need for pavement major repair or even reconstruction. These activities are normally expensive activities and could be avoided as long as possible by carrying out effective and timely maintenance.

?A few examples of ignoring timely maintenance are as follows:

• If the required cyclic and reactive maintenance are not carried out, drainage will become ineffective and surface defects will worsen, both of which result in water penetrating the structure of the pavement and causing serious damage.
• Failure to carry out resurfacing maintenance at the appropriate time soon leads to the need to carry out strengthening overlay works, which is at least twice expensive as resealing. If the overlay is not carried out soon enough, major deterioration sets in and pavement reconstruction will be required, which is at least three times more costly than an overlay.
• If the timely maintenance of roads is not undertaken, the pavement starts to crack, and potholes gradually appear. With this level of deterioration, vehicle-operating costs are likely to increase by about 15 percent. If there is complete neglect of maintenance, a paved road will eventually start to disintegrate, and annual vehicle operating costs will increase by about 50 percent. The vehicles will consume more fuel and they will need more frequent replacement of spare parts. Thus, government will have to spend more foreign exchange for importing more oil and spare parts.

Road maintenance works can often provide an opportunity for making improvements to road safety by contributing to the engineering factors in the areas of pavement and footway surfaces, carriageway marking, signs, street lights and road furniture.?

The condition of roads also affects the environments. Roads in poor condition contribute to air and noise pollutions. Noise pollution is a serious issue in sensitive areas, such as those adjacent to hospitals or schools.