This program has a huge database, which keeps track of all City streets, their condition, maintenance treatments and new street construction. This is especially noticeable when compared to local streets, which are in worse condition visually. This is necessary because of the importance of these major streets in the overall traffic flow, and because of the heavy traffic loads they carry. A major street, which falls below a certain state of disrepair because of lack of funding, will not benefit from an overlay, and would not be an efficient use of the street funds. In these cases the entire street needs to be excavated out and replaced.
Some pavement distresses are more severe than others are.
The Pavement Management System will calculate what percentage of the distresses is environmental, and what percentage is load related. This means two streets with the same PCI may have different degrees of load and environmental distresses. The street with the higher percentage of load distresses usually warrants a maintenance treatment sooner. The City of Davis Public Works street crew is in charge of pothole and minor street repairs, and may be called out to assess the problem.