We all know roads are important. They connect us to our friends, community, work, and play. They allow us to discover local hidden gems within a few-mile radius and explore exciting new destinations thousands of miles away.
It’s clear that our roads are a necessity for living in the modern age, but the impacts of road quality aren’t always as clear. Even if a road is still usable to get from point A to point B, the surface condition and structural integrity of roads have great impacts on vehicles, drivers, and the community at large. A study completed in 2020 by the National Transportation Research Group revealed that poor roads can cause up to $2,900 in damages to a single vehicle every year. No thank you!
First, a few technical terms used to describe road quality:
Pavement Vehicle Interaction, or PVI, is a term used to describe the interaction between the roadway surface and the vehicle driving on it. PVI is measured by three distinct factors related to a road’s structural and physical properties: roughness, texture, and deflection. Roughness refers to how smooth the road is, considering things like cracks, potholes, and other surface blemishes that could be felt by the driver. Texture refers to the abrasiveness of the road surface, which can affect the longevity of tires and the fuel efficiency of vehicles. Deflection measures the flexibility of the pavement structure, which is helpful in evaluating how the roadway will respond to large vehicles, heavy traffic, and severe weather.
These three factors not only have significant impacts on the vehicles, but also the drivers. Road condition will affect driving behaviors, causing users to change speed, make sharp movements to avoid obstacles, or even avoid certain roads altogether. Road conditions that affect drivers also inherently affect the surrounding area. In a residential zone, unsafe driving behaviors can cause pedestrians to feel unsafe, and no one wants to worry about oncoming traffic while going for a morning stroll. Even beyond being a daily nuisance, poor roads can be a fiscal headache for local citizens. In 2019, AAA estimated that potholes alone cause $3 billion in damages annually throughout the US.
Beyond maximizing transportation budgets and increasing the lifespan of roads, roadway management is important because road quality significantly impacts the quality of life for community members. According to Frokenbrock and Weisbrod of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, “noise, pedestrian safety, changes in property value, and changes in visual quality are all inexorably linked to the opportunities for— and, perhaps more importantly, the quality of—social life within a neighborhood” (Link). Poorly maintained roads can both directly and indirectly affect many areas of daily life, from causing traffic disturbances to lowering property values over time. Studies have also shown that investments in transportation often signal progress, creating a sense of accomplishment and pride for local citizens. The Transportation Research Board writes that building new highway systems and increasing road networks “could enhance the quality of life for local residents, enhance the ability of the community to attract new business investment, and ultimately also raise property values,” but this doesn’t imply that only new roads matter. A well-maintained existing infrastructure shows that the present social and economic well-being of the community is just as important as the city’s prosperity in the future.
Luckily, there are strategies to support both the present and future of road networks. Combining pavement preservation strategies and utilizing a system to gather real-time road quality information can ensure that a county’s roads are maintained regularly and prepared for many years to come. Sadly, the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t quite apply to roadway maintenance. It is imperative that county decision-makers make smart decisions to keep their roads running smoothly.