Next-Generation Performance Measures for Pavement Management Decision Support

Abstract

Since 2012, federal legislation has promoted the use of performance-based decisions for managing the nation’s highway system. The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act established seven national goal areas and required establishment of national performance measures for pavements. Fulfillment of these requirements has strengthened highway agencies’ data-driven investment decisions, maximizing returns on public investment and maintaining highway infrastructure assets in a state of good repair. While condition-based performance measures meet the current legislative requirement, there is a need to identify “next-generation” measures that can be integrated into pavement investment decisions to drive sustainable, long-term performance management of pavements. This paper discusses lifecycle and financial performance measures that can be used in concert with existing condition-based measures to better inform pavement management decision-making. Lifecycle performance measures characterize and monetize the long-term investment strategies associated with providing the desired level of service for a highway asset. These measures proactively encourage activities that reduce the long-term cost of managing the system. Financial performance measures indicate whether an adequate level of investment is being made to offset the asset value depreciation or satisfy treatment needs to not only meet condition targets today, but to sustain those into the future. The performance measures were validated through pilot implementations at three state highway agencies and the lessons learned from the validation efforts are documented in this paper. The paper also highlights considerations for implementing next-generation pavement performance measures, as well as the potential benefits to agencies from their implementation.