Inadequate consideration for design-related maintenance concerns has been a persistent problem for highway maintenance supervisors. Aging highway facilities, greatly increased traffic volumes, tighter budgets, and limitations on available staff have compounded the problem. Designers need to be aware of maintenance problems caused by their designs so they may improve them. In some cases, a slightly lower initial construction cost may result in excessive annual maintenance costs for years. To minimize the impacts on maintenance, designers must consider how each facility can be maintained and the total cost of the facility over its expected life. The project was initiated in response to the need for a routine process to improve communications between designers and maintenance personnel during the design process. The study was undertaken to meet the following objectives: (1) determine the current practices of incorporating maintenance concerns into the highway design process and identify successful techniques, weaknesses, and needed improvements; (2) recommend a design process that will ensure recognition of the maintenance implications of each design; and (3) list and describe design details that cause maintenance problems and suggest improvements to overcome them. Key research findings are summarized. (Author/publisher).
Samenvatting