Cost effective means to managing pavements in poor condition.

Tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue hinder efforts of transportation agencies to resurrect pavements in poor condition. As a “stop-gap” measure, some agencies simply allow roads to deteriorate to gravel. However, this approach can be costly over the long-term and often results in dissatisfied users. This research project will identify construction treatments and/or materials that can be used to extend the service life of pavements in poor condition. These treatments are intended to be economical and practical “stop-gap” measures until permanent and affordable solutions are available. They are not an “alternative” to reconstruction. New emerging pavement rehabilitation strategies are being developed and tested at the Recycled Materials Resource Center (RMRC) at University of Wisconsin-Madison using superior properties of recycled materials (e.g., fly ash stabilized reclaimed asphalt pavement and recycled concrete aggregate) to extend service lives of roadways. Efforts are underway to evaluate their performance by comparative economic and environmental life cycle analyses. These methods show great promise as cost-effective measures to treat poor pavements to achieve stop-gap or longer life cycle results. The research will create tools for selecting and analyzing strategies for pavements in poor condition. The tools, created for Minnesota, will support future decision-making based on cost effectiveness by providing a synthesized method of life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). This research will illustrate design strategies that offer Minnesota greater economic and environmental sustainability in resurrecting dead roads, resulting in maintaining a healthy road system.