Pavement Preservation is a planned system of treating pavements to maximize their useful life. It takes the maintenance process one step further by carefully choosing and timing pavement maintenance applications to extend the life of a pavement the most cost-effectively. A pavement preservation program provides the driving public with a higher level of pavement quality while reducing life cycle costs, user delays, and fuel costs.
A Dollar Spent on Preventive Maintenance Saves 3 to 10 Dollars in Future Rehabilitation
So says a recent report by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. (The state of Michigan has calculated it saves up to $10 for every preventive maintenance dollar spent.) SHRP research has shown that the better the condition of the pavement at the time of treatment, the better and more cost-effective the preventive maintenance is. The key is to protect the pavement from moisture throughout its entire life. This requires preventive maintenance long before there are any signs of distress. The alternative to prevention is allowing the pavement to deteriorate until either a costly structural overlay or total reconstruction is required. Because of the potential cost reduction in preserving our infrastructure, federal funds are now being permitted for preventive maintenance projects. Several states have implemented cost-effective pavement preservation programs, and have formed a "Lead States" committee, which is working diligently to share the knowledge with other agencies.
SemMaterials is dedicated to providing effective preservation solutions to our customers. Each pavement needs to be evaluated to determine the most effective treatment, and we can help. Contact your local SemMaterials representative for more information, or click on one of the pavement preservation ideas listed below.
Maintenance Applications:
Case Studies: