Preservation of the statewide roadway network, consisting of the vast majority of Interstate primary, secondary, and local roads in the state, is a key responsibility of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT). Because the pavement surfaces are: (a) the primary link between the roadway network and the efficient movement of goods and services; (b) the portion of the network most visible to the traveling public, and (c) the most significant functional and structural components of the network, a systematic approach to their management is needed to provide the engineering and analysis tools required by decision makers. The process is described by which DelDOT pavement management activities were upgraded to be consistent with the FHWA Pavement Design Policy and the AASHTO Guidelines for Pavement Management Systems. The customized DelDOT pavement management system is designated the Pavement Management and Planning program: key features of it include unique and unambiguous milepoint referencing, dynamic segmentation, a decision-tree process to priority rank capital improvement and rehabilitation projects for annual programs, interim pavement performance forecast models based on currently available data, multiyear planning capabilities to forecast conditions and needs, and color graphics and mapping capabilities to illustrate current pavement conditions and projected conditions for various program scenarios. (A)
Abstract