NOTICE 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation 

in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of 

the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, 

specification, or regulation. 

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or 

manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the 

objective of the document.

QUALITY ASSURANCE STATEMENT 

The U.S. Department of Transportation provides high-quality information to serve Government, 

industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies 

are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. 

U.S. DOT periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure 

continuous quality improvement.

 
Technical Report Documentation Page 

1. Report No. 

FHWA-HIF-11-014 

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. 

4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date 

December 2010 

Pavement Management Roadmap – Executive Summary 6. Performing Organization 

Code 

7. Authors 

Kathryn A. Zimmerman, Linda M. Pierce, James Krstulovich 

8. Performing Organization 

Report No. 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 

Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. 

115 W. Main Street, Suite 400 

Urbana, IL 61801 

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 

11. Contract or Grant No. 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Asset Management 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

13. Type of Report and Period 

Covered 

Executive Summary 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

15. Supplementary Notes 

Ms. Nastaran Saadatmand, COTM 

16. Abstract 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored the development of a Pavement Management Roadmap 

to help identify the steps needed to address current gaps in pavement management and to establish research and 

development initiatives and priorities. This is the executive summary of the final report entitled Pavement 

Management Roadmap (FHWA-HIF-11-011). This document presents an overview of the 10-year Pavement 

Management Roadmap, which can be used to guide new research, development, and technology transfer 

opportunities that will lead to improved approaches to pavement management. 

The roadmap was intented from the beginning to be a collaborative process that would involve representatives 

from each of the various stakeholder groups that either use pavement management data, support the use of 

pavement management concepts, or provide technical assistance or training to current or future pavement 

management practitioners. The contents of this roadmap were derived from a series of stakeholder workshops in 

which representatives from state and local agencies, academia, private industry (including data collection and 

software vendors), FHWA, and others met to discuss and prioritize the needs of pavement management 

professionals. The resulting needs were organized and grouped into one of the following four themes that emerged 

from the process: Theme 1: Use of Existing Tools and Technology; Theme 2: Institutional and Organizational 

Issues; Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement Management; and Theme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and 

Technology. 

17. Key Words 

pavement management, pavement management system, 

asset management, pavement performance, pavement 

data collection 

18. Distribution Statement 

No restrictions. 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 

Unclassified 

20. Security Classif. (of this page) 

Unclassified 

21. No of Pages 

18 

22. Price 

N/A 

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized. 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Table of Contents ii 

SI* (MODERN METRIC) CONVERSION FACTORS 

APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS TO SI UNITS

SYMBOL WHEN YOU KNOW MULTIPLY BY TO FIND SYMBOL

LENGTH

in inches 25.4 millimeters mm 

ft feet 0.305 meters m 

yd yards 0.914 meters m 

mi miles 1.61 kilometers km 

AREA

in2 square inches 645.2 square millimeters mm2

ft2

 square feet 0.093 square meters m2

yd2 square yard 0.836 square meters m2

ac acres 0.405 hectares ha 

mi2

 square miles 2.59 square kilometers km2

VOLUME

fl oz fluid ounces 29.57 milliliters mL 

gal gallons 3.785 liters L 

ft3 cubic feet 0.028 cubic meters m3

yd3 cubic yards 0.765 cubic meters m3

NOTE: volumes greater than 1000 L shall be shown in m3

MASS

oz ounces 28.35 grams g

lb pounds 0.454 kilograms kg

T short tons (2000 lb) 0.907 megagrams (or "metric ton") Mg (or "t")

TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) o

F Fahrenheit 5 (F-32)/9 Celsius o

C 

ILLUMINATION

fc foot-candles 10.76 lux lx 

fl foot-Lamberts 3.426 candela/m2 cd/m2

FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS

lbf poundforce 4.45 newtons N 

lbf/in2 poundforce per square inch 6.89 kilopascals kPa 

APPROXIMATE CONVERSIONS FROM SI UNITS

SYMBOL WHEN YOU KNOW MULTIPLY BY TO FIND SYMBOL

LENGTH 

mm millimeters 0.039 inches in 

m meters 3.28 feet ft 

m meters 1.09 yards yd 

km kilometers 0.621 miles mi 

AREA 

mm2 square millimeters 0.0016 square inches in2

m2 square meters 10.764 square feet ft2

m2

 square meters 1.195 square yards yd2

ha hectares 2.47 acres ac 

km2

 square kilometers 0.386 square miles mi2

VOLUME 

mL milliliters 0.034 fluid ounces fl oz 

L liters 0.264 gallons gal 

m3 cubic meters 35.314 cubic feet ft3

m3 cubic meters 1.307 cubic yards yd3

MASS 

g grams 0.035 ounces oz 

kg kilograms 2.202 pounds lb 

Mg (or "t") megagrams (or "metric ton") 1.103 short tons (2000 lb) T 

TEMPERATURE (exact degrees) o

C Celsius 1.8C+32 Fahrenheit o

F 

ILLUMINATION 

lx lux 0.0929 foot-candles fc 

cd/m2

 candela/m2 0.2919 foot-Lamberts fl 

FORCE and PRESSURE or STRESS 

N newtons 0.225 poundforce lbf 

kPa kilopascals 0.145 poundforce per square inch lbf/in2

*SI is the symbol for the International System of Units. Appropriate rounding should be made to comply with Section 4 of ASTM E380.

(Revised March 2003) 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Table of Contents iii 

Table of Contents 

Page

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1

The Development Process .................................................................................................................... 2

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements ..................................................................... 4

The Vision for Pavement Management ............................................................................................. 4

Funding Needs ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Top 10 Short-Term and Long-Term Research, Development, and Technology Transfer 

Needs by Theme Area ............................................................................................................... 7

Theme 1: Use of Existing Technology and Tools ............................................................... 7

Theme 2: Institutional and Organizational Issues ............................................................... 7

Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement Management ........................................................ 8

Theme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and Technologies ................................................. 8

Implementation Steps .......................................................................................................... 11

Getting Involved ................................................................................................................................... 11
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Table of Contents iv 

 List of Tables 

Page

Table 1. Funding Needs by Theme Area. ................................................................................................... 5

Table 2. Prioritized Listing of Short-Term Needs. ................................................................................... 5

Table 3. Prioritized Listing of Long-Term Needs. ................................................................................... 6

Table 4. Top 10 Listing of Short-term Needs Statements by Theme. .................................................. 9

Table 5. Top 10 Listing of Long-term Needs Statements by Theme. ................................................ 10
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Introduction 1 

Introduction 

Over the last few decades, transportation agencies have seen tremendous changes in the way 

business is conducted. For example, since the construction of the interstate highway system, there 

has been an increased emphasis on performance monitoring and the use of pavement management 

data to assist with planning and programming for maintenance activities and capital improvements. 

Additionally, the methods used to assess pavement condition have evolved in conjunction with 

other technological advancements so that automated procedures are more commonly being utilized 

than in the past. Moreover, advancements in computer capabilities and their availability have 

resulted in a plethora of new tools for designing, analyzing, and managing pavements. Most 

recently, this has led to the development of new mechanistic-empirical pavement design procedures 

with significantly larger and more diverse data requirements than have been previously used. 

In addition to technological changes, transportation 

agencies have seen adjustments in the way decisions are 

being made. Within the past 10 years, there has been an 

increasing emphasis on asset management principles for 

resource allocation and utilization decisions that are based 

on system performance objectives. Under an asset 

management framework, investment decisions consider 

the trade-offs associated with different strategies and 

agencies strive to align tactical improvement programs 

with their strategic priorities. With asset management 

there is an increased focus on customer expectations and 

transparency in the decision process. The availability of 

quality data has a tremendous impact on an agency’s 

ability to compare different investment options and to 

make sound business decisions that consider both 

engineering and economic factors. 

Unfortunately, decreases in the purchasing power of 

available funding, coupled with reduced funding levels, have led to deteriorating network conditions 

within most transportation agencies at the same time that demand for these facilities is increasing. 

As a result, many transportation agencies are shifting their priorities from a focus on system 

expansion to an increasing focus on system preservation. In fact, a number of agencies have 

recognized the cost-effectiveness associated with the use of preventive maintenance treatments to 

slow the rate of deterioration and to postpone the need for the most costly rehabilitation strategies. 

However, the shift towards pavement preservation has not been entirely free from problems. For 

example, organizations that had previously separated the maintenance and capital improvement 

decision processes have had to overcome institutional barriers in order to develop effective 

improvement programs that include preventive maintenance treatments. 

As a result of these and other changes impacting transportation agencies, the role of pavement 

management is changing. In the past, pavement management was primarily considered to be used 

for assessing and reporting pavement conditions, prioritizing capital improvements, and estimating 

funding needs. Today, pavement management has the potential to fulfill a much broader (and more 

significant) role within a transportation agency. In addition to the more traditional roles it serves, 

pavement management can support an agency’s asset management practices by supporting the 

The availability of quality

data has a tremendous

impact on an agency’s ability

to compare different

investment options and to

make sound business

decisions that consider both

engineering and economic

factors.
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Introduction 2 

development of strategic performance objectives for the highway system. It can also provide a link 

to maintenance and operations through the analysis of pavement preservation options. And it can 

provide the pavement performance data required to evaluate and calibrate the mechanistic-based 

performance models for use within a specific transportation agency. 

The successful transition of pavement management into these areas depends on the availability and 

accessibility of quality data to support an agency’s decision processes. Unfortunately, there are a 

number of agencies that are currently not fully utilizing their pavement management system to 

support these types of decisions. Therefore, several immediate issues must be addressed to 

overcome these hurdles and to prepare pavement management for its broader role in the future. 

Some of the more immediate needs that might be considered are listed below: 

 Providing access to integrated, quality data. 

 Adapting existing analysis tools. 

 Communicating pavement management results. 

 Integrating pavement management into the decision process. 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored the development of a Pavement 

Management Roadmap to help identify the steps needed to address current gaps in pavement 

management and to establish research and development initiatives and priorities. This document 

presents a 10-year Pavement Management Roadmap that can be used to guide new research, 

development, and technology transfer opportunities that will lead to improved approaches to 

pavement management. This Roadmap can substantially improve current practices by identifying 

the existing gaps and needs in pavement management. 

The Development Process 

From the beginning, the FHWA intended the development of the Roadmap to be a collaborative 

process, involving representatives from each of the various stakeholder groups that either use 

pavement management data, support the use of pavement management concepts, or provide 

technical assistance or training to current or future pavement management practitioners. 

Representatives from several stakeholder groups were invited to participate in one of three regional 

workshops held in Phoenix, Arizona; Dallas, Texas; and McLean, Virginia. The stakeholder groups 

that were invited to participate, and the targeted number of representatives from each stakeholder 

group at each workshop, are listed below: 

 State highway agencies (SHA): 21 to 25 participants. 

 Local agencies/technology transfer centers/Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs): 2 to 3 

participants. 

 Academia: 2 to 3 participants. 

 Private Industry (including data collection and software vendors): 3 to 5 participants. 

 FHWA: 4 participants. 

A total of 87 participants accepted invitations to participate and were able to attend one of the three 

workshops. In addition to FHWA, the participants represented thirty-one SHAs, seven other 

government agencies (i.e., cities, counties, and Canadian government agencies), thirteen private 

contractors, and six academic agencies. Each workshop included breakout groups that provided an 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Introduction 3 

opportunity for the participants to exchange information on a peer-to-peer basis and to collaborate 

on the identification of research and development needs in this area. A Technical Panel consisting 

of pavement management practitioners from FHWA, SHA, and academia provided technical 

guidance throughout the development of the Roadmap. 

The primary objective of the workshops was to identify research and workforce development needs 

within ten pre-established focus areas. These focus areas were identified through a literature search 

and represented topics that have been identified as subjects important to the pavement management 

community. During the process of combining and re-arranging needs statements, it became evident 

that many of the needs statements impacted more than one of the ten focus areas. As a result, it no 

longer seemed practical to tie the final needs statements to the original focus area topics. Instead, 

the resulting needs were organized and grouped into one of the following four themes that emerged 

from the process: 

 Theme 1: Use of Existing Tools and Technology. 

 Theme 2: Institutional and Organizational Issues. 

 Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement Management. 

 Theme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and Technology. 

The final list of needs was presented to the workshop participants during a webconference, which 

introduced the four theme areas and the balloting process that would be used to rank the needs in 

terms of importance. Using an online balloting tool, individuals who had attended the workshops 

were invited to vote on the relative importance of each of the research needs. In addition, 

participants were asked to rank both the short-term and long-term needs within each theme area. A 

process was developed for combining the relative importance of each need statement with the 

rankings assigned by the participants, which resulted in the final prioritized listing of short-term and 

long-term needs included in the Pavement Management Roadmap. In addition, by having ranked 

the needs statements within each theme area separately, the highest priorities within each theme, as 

well as their overall importance across themes, could be produced. 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 4 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 

The Vision for Pavement Management 

The successful adoption of the Pavement Management Roadmap is expected to lead to the 

increased use, and improved applicability, of pavement management by eliminating the barriers or 

gaps that limit its effectiveness or hinder its acceptance within an agency. Through comprehensive 

and coordinated efforts to address both the short-term (i.e., less than 5 years) and long-term (i.e., 5 

to 10 years) research, development, technology, and workforce development activities identified in 

this Roadmap, practitioners can foresee the following vision of pavement management in the year 

2020. 

Funding Needs 

The Pavement Management Roadmap prioritizes the order in which these activities should be 

addressed, based on the importance and priority rankings provided by the participants. As such, the 

prioritized list of short-term and long-term needs represents the urgency with which the 

participating pavement management stakeholders would address these activities. 

In total, the suggested initiatives represent over $14.5 million in funding, with approximately $6.5 

million representing short-term needs over the next 5 years and $8 million representing long-term 

needs to be initiated within the next 5 to 10 years. By theme area, the funding is distributed in 

accordance with the figures shown in table 1. 

Tables 2 and 3 present the prioritized listing of recommended needs to address the gaps in 

pavement management over the next 10 years, ignoring the four theme areas. Table 2 presents the 

prioritized listing of the short-term needs, and table 3 includes the prioritized listing of long-term 

needs. 

The Vision for Pavement Management in 2020 

Pavement management will make use of a new generation of technology so

agencies are less dependent on manual labor for data collection.  Pavement

management tools will allow agencies to communicate effectively with

stakeholders, using clear statements that are tied to agency goals and

pavement worth.  Within an asset management framework, pavement

management will be used for investigating decisions and program options in

both private and public sectors.  A pavement management analysis will

consider new materials and construction/design practices, as well as other

factors that influence project and treatment selection, including safety,

congestion, and sustainability.  As a result of these changes, pavement

management will be robust, comprehensive, and credible, and will address

agency needs at the project, network, and strategic levels.
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 5 

Table 1. Funding Needs by Theme Area. 

Theme 

Short-Term Needs 

(< 5 years) 

Long-Term Needs 

(5 to 10 years) 

Totals 

# of 

Projects 

Funding 

Requirements 

# of 

Projects 

Funding 

Requirements 

# of 

Projects 

Funding 

Requirements

1: Use of Existing 

Technology and Tools 8 $2,180,000 2 $850,000 10 $3,030,000

2: Institutional and 

Organizational Issues 5 $880,000 6 $780,000 11 $1,660,000

3: The Broad Role of 

Pavement Management 5 $1,550,000 5 $1,300,000 10 $2,850,000

4: New Tools, 

Methodologies, and 

Technologies 

5 

$1,930,000 

11 

$5,100,000 16 

$7,030,000

Totals 23 $6,540,000 24 $8,030,000 47 $14,570,000

Table 2. Prioritized Listing of Short-Term Needs. 

Priority 

Ranking Title Theme Score 

1 Communicating Pavement Management Information and Benefits Inst & Org 2.18 

2 Development and Use of Effective Performance Measures Broad Role 2.16 

3 Improving the Skills of Pavement Managers Inst & Org 2.13 

4 Development of Automated Condition Data Processing Tools New Tools 1.85 

5 Methods to Quantify the Benefits of Pavement Management New Tools 1.85 

6 Best Practices for Pavement Management Existing Tools 1.65 

7 Development of Pavement Distress Standards Existing Tools 1.62 

8 Development of Improved Methodologies for Evaluating Data 

Quality Existing Tools 1.58 

9 Improving Factors Considered in Project and Treatment Selection 

Decisions New Tools 1.58 

10 Establish and Develop Equipment Calibration Centers and 

Guidelines Existing Tools 1.55 

11 Comprehensive Study to Guide the Integration of Pavement 

Preservation and Pavement Management Existing Tools 1.44 

12 Pavement Management Data Mining: Improving Current Uses and 

Leveraging New Applications of Pavement Management Data Broad Role 1.37 

13 Analysis of Trade-Offs Associated with Alternate Methods of Data 

Collection New Tools 1.33 

14 Load Limit Impacts on Pavement Performance Broad Role 1.19 

15 Developing and Supporting a Pavement Management Business 

Plan Broad Role 1.18 

16 Use of Pavement Management Information for National Reporting Broad Role 1.07 

17 Annual Approval of SP&R Funding Inst & Org 0.89 

18 Framework for Minimizing the Delivery of Treatment Application Inst & Org 0.89 

19 Independent Technical Assessments of Pavement Management Existing Tools 0.84 

20 Pavement Management Clearinghouse Existing Tools 0.8 

21 Addressing Trade-offs, Metric Issues, and Purchasing 

Controls/Policies Inst & Org 0.62 

22 Synthesis of External Issues Driving Pavement Management Existing Tools 0.6 

23 Pavement Management in a Changing World New Tools 0.49 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 6 

Table 3. Prioritized Listing of Long-Term Needs. 

Priority 

Ranking Title Theme Score 

1 Methods of Defining and Calculating the Effect of Pavement 

Preservation Treatments on Pavement Life Existing Tools 2.43 

2 Impact of Pavement Management Investment Levels on Benefits Inst & Org 2.26 

3 Using Pavement Management Data to Support Design Activities Broad Role 2.08 

4 Performance Models that Consider Series of Treatments New Tools 1.97 

5 Method for Effectively Modeling Structural Condition New Tools 1.91 

6 Methods to Promote Pavement Management as a Management 

Tool Inst & Org 1.82 

7 Investigation into the Risk, Uncertainty, and Variability in 

Pavement Management Decisions Existing Tools 1.45 

8 Automation of Surface Texture Characteristics New Tools 1.4 

9 National Funding Allocations That Account for State Priorities Broad Role 1.33 

10 Identifying Strategies for Incorporating Emerging Technologies 

into the Pavement Management System New Tools 1.23 

11 Identify Data Needs to Support Other Processes Broad Role 1.2 

12 Quantifying the Cost of Pavement Use New Tools 1.19 

13 Recommended Methodology to Calculate Pavement Asset Value 

and Communicate to Stakeholders Inst & Org 1.16 

14 Methodologies to Reliably Support Innovative Contracting Broad Role 1.13 

15 Develop NDT for Measurement of In-Place Material Properties New Tools 1.08 

16 Suggested Topics for Pavement Management Into the Civil 

Engineering Curriculum Inst & Org 1.03 

17 Constant Funding for Pavement Management Inst & Org 0.96 

18 Identify IT Needs to Effectively Manage a Pavement Management 

System Inst & Org 0.95 

19 Quantifying the Benefits of Pavement Research New Tools 0.78 

20 Impact of Earmarks on Pavement Performance Broad Role 0.7 

21 Develop Default Models for Low-Volume Roads New Tools 0.47 

22 Impact of Climate Change on Performance Prediction New Tools 0.39 

23 Development and Integration of Wireless Sensors with PMS New Tools 0.36 

24 Use of Aerial Images for Distress Analysis New Tools 0.29 

 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 7 

Top 10 Short-Term and Long-Term Research, Development, and Technology 

Transfer Needs by Theme Area 

The regional workshops produced a total of twenty-three short-term and twenty-four long-term 

research, development, and technology transfer needs. The top ten short-term and top ten longterm research, development, and technology transfer needs are described in this section of the 

executive summary, by theme area. 

The short-term needs, which should be addressed within the next 5 years, emphasize the need for 

improved access to information about best practices and better methods to communicate the 

importance of pavement management to transportation agencies. Additionally, stakeholders placed 

an emphasis on improving data quality and consistency. 

The long-term needs, which should be addressed within the next 5 to 10 years, include activities that 

will require research to develop methods to improve existing practices. The highest ranked needs 

indicate that efforts are needed to define and calculate the impact of pavement preservation 

treatments, and to determine the impact of different investment levels on pavement management 

capabilities. Additional efforts address the need to better support pavement design activities with 

pavement management, including the need to effectively model structural condition and series of 

treatments over a pavement life cycle. 

Theme 1: Use of Existing Technology and Tools 

Needs statements included in theme 1 include recommendations for technology and tools that can 

support traditional pavement management applications. In general, this theme includes technology 

and tools that are currently available today but are in need of additional review, analysis, 

dissemination, and/or updating prior to their use. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of short-term needs are provided in 

table 4. A total of $2,180,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of long-term needs are provided in 

table 5. A total of $850,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

Theme 2: Institutional and Organizational Issues 

The theme 2 needs statements presented in this section of the report relate to workforce 

development, communication, contracting, and organizational structure. The recommendations in 

this area are intended to address issues that include the impact pavement management on funding 

and how to determine, promote, and effectively communicate the use and the benefits of pavement 

management. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of short-term needs are provided in 

table 4. A total of $880,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of long-term needs are provided in 

table 5. A total of $780,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 8 

Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement Management 

Theme 3 includes needs statements that go beyond the standard functions of pavement 

management and include such areas as pavement design, impact of increasing load limits on 

pavement performance, and asset management. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of short-term needs are provided in 

table 4. A total of $1,550,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of long-term needs are provided in 

table 5. A total of $1,300,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

Theme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and Technologies 

The problem statements in theme 4 are related to needs for research and development leading to 

new tools, methods, and technology to support pavement management. In general, needs 

statements included in this theme address concepts that are not readily available and will require a 

higher level of research, analysis, and development prior to implementation. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of short-term needs are provided in 

table 4. A total of $1,930,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

The needs from this theme that are featured in the top ten list of long-term needs are provided in 

table 5. A total of $5,100,000 in funding is required to address these needs. 

 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 9 Needs Statement Description Funding Development of Pavement Distress Standards This study will identify distress to be measured, review current state practice, compare state procedures to current AASHTO protocols, identify areas not currently covered by an AASHTO protocol, develop preliminary protocols, conduct webinars or workshops to obtain state buy-in, and finalize the protocol for AASHTO balloting. $350,000 Development of Improved Methodologies for Evaluating Data Quality This study's objective is to develop a standard methodology that can be applied to a wide range of pavement condition data to assess quality in terms of accuracy and repeatability. The study results will establish data collection guidelines and evaluate the impact of variability. A product will be the development of guidelines to improve data quality in terms of collection, processing, and reporting. $350,000 Establish and Develop Equipment Calibration Centers and Guidelines This study will identify potential calibration sites, recommended calibration frequencies, and calibration procedures. $250,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Communicating Pavement Management Information and Benefits This study will investigate how highway agencies have successfully gained buy-in from decision makers that have led to increased use of pavement management information. The products will include guidelines for making these types of presentations, and a collection of effective presentations that can be used as templates. $250,000 Improving the Skills of Pavement Managers This initiative will provide guidance to help agencies evaluate the economic/organizational impacts of workforce development. This study will develop training guides, a web clearinghouse for resources, and information on pavement management careers. $250,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Development and Use of Effective Performance Measures Under this study, examples of effective links between strategic and operational performance measures will be conducted, and guidelines on the use of pavement management measures to support strategic initiatives will be developed. $250,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Development of Automated Condition Data Processing Tools Improvements to current tools for automating the processing of some measures of pavement evaluation are needed to accelerate the rate which survey results become available and improve the consistency and reliability of the information. Improvements are needed to the processing of surface distress data, GPR, and rutting. $800,000 Methods to Quantify the Benefits of Pavement Management This is a synthesis study in which practices in public and private agencies may be explored to determine current practice. The end product is the identification of effective methodologies that can be used to quantify benefits associated with pavement management. $30,000 Improving Factors Considered in Project and Treatment Selection 

Decisions

The study must provide guidance for addressing agency challenges that influence the use of this information. The product of this research will be a process for evaluating the decision factors used in the pavement management treatment selection process and 

guidelines for addressing any existing gaps in the criterion.

$250,000 

Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement ManagementTheme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and Technologies

There is a significant need to assemble and prepare a best practices document for the operational and functional aspects of pavement management. This guide will include a broad range of topics, such as benefits and limitations of data collection equipment and 

procedures, processes for developing and implementing a linear referencing system and addressing data integration issues, guidelines for developing and updating performance modeling, methods for using pavement management to support agency decisions and allocated funds, and methods for communicating pavement management data to stakeholders.

Theme 1: Use of Existing Technology and ToolsBest Practices for Pavement ManagementTheme 2: Institutional and Organizational Issues

$500,000 

Table 4. Top 10 Listing of Short-term Needs Statements by Theme. 

 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Final Roadmap and Funding Requirements 10 Needs Statement Description Funding Methods of Defining and Calculating the Effect of Pavement Preservation Treatments on Pavement Life This study will quantify the impacts that pavement preservation treatments have on pavement performance, using measured field data from various geographic regions of the country. $500,000 Investigation into the Risk, Uncertainty, and Variability in Pavement Management Decisions The objective of this research is to investigate the various forms of variability affecting pavement management recommendations and to develop a process for evaluating its impact and the overall effectiveness of pavement management recommendations. The results are expected to be able to help agencies determine the amount of data needed to provide credible recommendations and to determine what level of risk is considered acceptable, thereby improving levels of accountability and confidence in pavement management. $350,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Impact of Pavement Management Investment Levels on Benefits A product of this study is the development of an analysis approach that determines the relationship between funding expenditures, data reliability, and system outputs. Another product will be the development of a methodology for analyzing these relationships. $350,000 Methods to Promote Pavement Management as a Management Tool Pavement management’s value to is not always well understood, especially among executives and elected officials with short-term positions. Public relations is needed to raise the profile of pavement management and communicate its wide-ranging benefits. Research is needed to know how to be most effective with audiences. $100,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Using Pavement management Data to Support Design Activities This study will develop a methodology to enhance the sophistication of pavement performance modeling, determine the availability of data fields for both pavement management and pavement design, determine the compatibility of MEPDG and pavement management prediction, enhance DARWin-ME or develop a stand-alone tool, and recommend adjustments to calibrate one or both models. $350,000 National Funding Allocations That Account for State Priorities This study will result in the development of a methodology for comparing pavement performance that accounts for the differences in state priorities and objectives. $250,000 Needs Statement Description Funding Performance Models That Consider a Series of Treatments This study will include a literature search on the pavement performance impacts of a series of treatments; development of a strategy for evaluating treatments in a series; collection of sufficient data from state agencies to develop, analyze, and validate performance curves; and the creation of guidelines on how to develop performance curves for a series of treatments. $500,000 Method for Effectively Modeling Structural Condition This study will quantify the cost/benefit of network-level deflection testing. The researcher will conduct a survey of practice, validate testing with other static devices, determine precision and bias statements, conduct pilot studies, and develop guidelines. $350,000 Automation of Surface Texture Characteristics This study will identify surface characteristics that can be identified and quantified using existing high-speed data collection equipment; potential methodologies for quantifying distress; equipment and analysis gaps; and software and equipment modifications. $500,000 Identifying Strategies for Incorporating Emerging Technologies into the Pavement Management System The main research objective is to develop a framework for identifying/evaluating the changes that impact pavement management decisions. The framework should be applicable to a wide range of situations and be demonstrated using data provided by state highway agencies. The final product is a set of guidelines for identifying and evaluating factors that influence the recommendations produced by the pavement management system. A clearinghouse for reporting the evaluation of technology may also be a product. $350,000 Theme 1: Use of Existing Technology and Tools Theme 2: Institutional and Organizational Issues Theme 3: The Broad Role of Pavement Management Theme 4: New Tools, Methodologies, and Technologies

Table 5. Top 10 Listing of Long-term Needs Statements by Theme. 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Implementation Steps 11 

Implementation Steps 

The stakeholders involved in the development of the Pavement Management Roadmap identified a 

plethora of research, development, and technology transfer needs that are required to solidify the 

role of pavement management in transportation agencies today, and to help ensure its applicability 

to the needs of transportation agencies in the future. As outlined in the Roadmap, this will require a 

coordinated plan that: 

 Enhances the skills of pavement managers. 

 Improves the use of existing technology and tools. 

 Promotes the concepts of pavement management among decision makers and the public. 

 Expands the data considered in a pavement management analysis. 

 Explores the use of new tools and technology to improve the current approaches to data 

collection and analysis. 

The Roadmap presents both the short-term and long-term priorities that will enable the pavement 

management community to accomplish these objectives. In total, the needs identified in the 

Roadmap will require $14.57 million in funding to achieve the stated goal. This amount of money is 

clearly beyond the capabilities of any single organization within the transportation community. 

Therefore, the successful implementation of the Roadmap demands a focused, cooperative 

approach among national and international organizations that are in a position to fund and support 

these types of research and outreach activities, including the FHWA, AASHTO, the National 

Research Academy and the Transportation Research Board (TRB), state highway agency research 

departments, and other industry representatives. This approach demands that: 

 Funding to support pavement management initiatives is increased to meet the needs of 

stakeholders at all levels. 

 Agencies work together to secure the necessary funding for the highest priority items. 

 The pavement management community embraces the Roadmap and supports its implementation. 

 Effective strategies for implementing the activities developed under this Roadmap are 

incorporated into each study. 

 Responsibility for tracking accomplishments and pushing forward the remaining needs is assigned 

to a central organization. 

Getting Involved 

The completion of this document represents the end of the collaborative process that was followed 

to identify and prioritize the needs of a diverse set of stakeholders who are involved in the use of 

pavement management data and analysis tools to support the cost-effective management of the 

nation’s pavement infrastructure. As documented in this report, the implementation of the 

Pavement Management Roadmap will rely on the creativity and resourcefulness of all those working 

in the pavement management community. No matter how they are connected to pavement 

management, stakeholders must get involved in supporting the activities outlined in the Pavement 

Management Roadmap if the community is to reach the vision for pavement management over the 

next 10 years. 

Although the implementation of the Pavement Management Roadmap will require the participation 

of a wide variety of stakeholders, several recommendations are provided to help ensure that the 
Pavement Management Roadmap December 2010 

Implementation Steps 12 

implementation is a success at advancing pavement management initiatives. The recommendations 

include the following: 

 Establish a Pavement Management Roadmap Steering Committee with responsibility for 

the implementation and oversight of the document. It is recommended this Committee be 

organized as a subcommittee under the TRB Committee on Pavement Management (AFD10) 

with representation from FHWA, state and local transportation agencies, academia, associations, 

and private industry. This Committee should be responsible for promoting and tracking 

accomplishments under the Roadmap as a way to keep it in the national spotlight. 

 Assign FHWA primary responsibility for addressing the institutional training and 

technology transfer initiatives identified in the Roadmap. The FHWA, through its 

National Highway Institute, provides training to improve the performance of transportation 

agencies. In addition, the FHWA has supported the conduct of peer exchanges, national 

conferences, and other initiatives to advance pavement management activities. Using innovative 

approaches that recognize the traveling limitations that restrict agency participation in 

conferences and training classes, the FHWA should continue to be the primary support for these 

types of initiatives, as outlined in the Roadmap. 

 Identify funding support for two to three problems statements each year through 

AASHTO and TRB. This activity requires state support for the initiatives outlined in the 

Roadmap in order to advance the problem statements through the TRB funding process. 

Therefore, it is recommended that the AASHTO Joint Technical Committee on Pavements 

assume responsibility for this effort, for each of the next 10 years outline in the Roadmap. This 

recommendation in no way restricts support for additional research activities through other 

organizations. Instead, it merely seeks to provide a mechanism to ensure that financial support 

for pavement management activities remains a priority over the life of the Roadmap. 

 Raise the profile of pavement management and its effectiveness at supporting sound 

asset management concepts. As an industry, we have not placed an emphasis on promoting 

pavement management concepts within the transportation community. However, with the 

increased focus on asset management, and the importance of performance measures to improve 

agency accountability, agencies will increasingly rely on pavement management to support these 

initiatives. Therefore, the pavement management community needs to become more active in 

promoting its capabilities and documenting the benefits to an agency that uses these concepts to 

support investment decisions. The Pavement Management Roadmap can become the 

instrument needed to champion additional support for pavement management, as a critical tool 

in transportation agencies. The pavement management community needs to identify and 

promote a slogan that conveys the benefits, such as “Pavement Management...the key to 

preserving your pavement investments.”