Integrated roadway asset management

In 2007, for the first time in history, global urban population surpassed 50 % of the total. Movement of goods and service accessibility is essential for sustainability of the post-industrial society. Roadway networks remain an essential means of achieving economic growth. Aging infrastructure and increasing traffic loading pose a challenge to roadway managing agencies. Long term investment planning is a means which agencies look to apply in creating infrastructure asset management plans. A key challenge is balancing bridge and pavement funding needs such that the state of the network allows for efficient, safe and reliable movement of people and goods. This paper examines an Integrated Roadway Asset Management (iRam) approach to long term investment planning. Trade-off analysis between the bridge and pavement sub-assets is inherit as the bridge network is integrated into the pavement network. Development of the Structural Integration Factor (SIF) is instrumental in converting structures to equivalent pavement sections, such that a homogenous pavement network represents both sub-assets. iRam is subsequently a mutually inclusive (MI) approach of investment planning, compared to current industry practice where pavement and bridge needs are planned through mutually exclusive (ME) organizational processes. Two 10-year investment plans for a model network were developed and compared. iRam outperformed the ME approach in maximizing roadway network performance, optimization of funds, and organizational effectiveness. A theoretical organizational implementation plan for iRam is developed. Further development of iRam is suggested through incorporation of safety and operational performance indicators.