PRESERVING PAVEMENT ASSETS THROUGH REALISTIC POLICY OBJECTIVES AND LIFE CYCLE CONSIDERATION OF USERS, ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY, RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Pavements represent a major asset in Canada’s transportation capital stock. Preservation of this asset requires good technology, good management and adequate financing. A framework for preservation should be part of an agency’s business plan and explicitly incorporate strategic policy objectives. Realization of these objectives depends on clear recognition of the stakeholders involved, measurable performance indicators and achievable implementation targets. Stakeholder groups include the road network service providers and both private and commercial users. The development of measurable performance indicators should be comprehensive in terms of institutional, economic, environmental, safety, technical and functional considerations and should be tied to transportation values which are understood by the users. Institutionally based policy objectives should include quality of service to users, preservation of investment, safety goals, productivity and efficiency, cost recovery, research and training, communication with stakeholders, and resource conservation and environmental protection. Example preservation strategies are provided in the paper and comparisons made with suggested implementation targets indicate that the policy objectives and the targets are in fact realistic and achievable.