This paper discusses the issues confronted during a multi-year project involving the development of a conditions assessment method and a quality assurance process for surfaced rural roads in Parkland County, Alberta, Canada. The objectives of this innovative project included; developing a surfaced roads conditions assessment method and procedures for collecting the condition data, and creating business processes for ensuring that quality assurance and consistency is maintained into the future. The project commenced in 2006, was successfully completed in 2010 and fully implemented in 2011. The project utilized custom road network and project level Pavement Management System and Maintenance Management System software. The paper discusses the major technical and organizational issues that were experienced and addressed including: Developing accurate methods for measuring and collecting data on the surface roads, Piloting the data collection process and refining the process, How treatment triggers (distresses, severities and extents) for the surfaced road network were identified How a Condition State Map that drives all physical surface work was developed, Identifying methods to quality assure the data as part of the collection process. This paper focuses on the critical success factors and the lessons learnt throughout the five year project. How condition data is collected and used is explained in sufficient detail to enable similar rural municipal governments to assess its relevance and consider the opportunity of implementing similar processes in their own operating environment. The paper also details the innovative quality assurance and business processes developed to ensure the data collected is reliable and consistent over time.
