Generically Based Data Needs and Priorities for Pavement Management

The foundation for pavement management is reliable and sufficient data. It is required to quantify present and future status, to identify needs and to provide the basis for priority programming of maintenance and rehabilitation. The role of data in a generically based pavement management framework is to provide the factual basis for activities models, methods and procedures, and for making decisions, at both the network and project levels. In order to develop a strategy and priorities for what data should be acquired and how often for any particular situation requires consideration of such factors as type and class of facility, characteristics of the agency, intended uses of the data, costs and the accuracy needed. Sets of priority guidelines for highway, airport and other area pavements, using these factors and for average or representative conditions, have been developed.