An attempt has been made to implement a pavement management system (PMS) for municipally maintained roads in Rhode Island. The primary objectives of the project were to select the most appropriate microcomputer-based PMS software and to implement the selected system in cities and towns throughout the state. A questionnaire survey distributed to all 39 Rhode Island municipalities revealed that only one community was actually instituting a functional PMS when the project began. Micro PAVER was identified as the most appropriate microcomputer-based PMS for municipally maintained roads, primarily because it is one of the simplest menu-driven programs. A workshop manual was prepared that used Micro PAVER as the core of the PMS procedure, and state-wide implementation of this developed procedure was conducted through a series of training workshops for the technical staffs of the municipalities. Visual observation of surface distress was the only procedure used for pavement condition evaluations because of the need for a simple, objective and repeatable survey methodology and the prioritisation was based on the derived pavement condition index (PCI). During the standardisation process, a 10% sampling technique was recommended for pavement condition surveys. At least 16 Rhode Island municipalities have decided to implement Micro PAVER, and several other communities may begin implementation in the near future. Potential enhancements to the municipal-level PMS were also identified and recommended.
Abstract