A van with special equipment will be analyzing Marana roads.
The Town of Marana is committed to having the best possible roads. This goal led to the creation of the Town’s Pavement Preservation Program, which strives to preserve Town roadways on regular basis.
A van will help assess Marana roadways beginning Monday, March 18.
The Town has been collecting pavement condition data and prioritizing project selection for pavement preservation since 2009. Six years ago, the Town created a six-year pavement preservation program. The program is in its last year of implementation.
As the pavement preservation program was developed in-house, it has evolved over the years to take advantage of advances in computing capabilities as well as changes in pavement preservation philosophy. The most notable latest advancement is the move to prioritize projects based on “life cycle cost concept.” In an effort to best prioritize projects and properly manage resources, the Town roadways will be undergoing a pavement assessment beginning on Monday, March 18. This will not only allow the Town to develop long-term maintenance plans and budgets, but also help guide Town staff into “applying the right treatment, to the right road, at the right time, and right cost.” This will allow the Town to best utilize their resources, while also providing the best possible driving surfaces.
“The pavement assessment will help the Town in initiating cost-effective decisions relative to the “what,” “where,” and “when” in terms of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation,” said Town of Marana Public Works Director Mo El-Ali. “What treatment is cost-effective; where are the treatments needed; and when is the best time to program a treatment?”
Special vans with cameras on the bumper will analyze Marana’s roads.
To conduct the pavement assessment, the Town of Marana will utilize IMS Infrastructure Management Services LLC, to complete a detailed inventory and condition rating of all roadways and collect right-of-way assets. The data will be collected and loaded into an asset management program specifically designed to assist the Town in developing a long-term pavement preservation program.
The field surveys are completed in two phases using specialized surveying equipment.
The first phase will begin on March 18 and last two weeks. This initial phase will inventory and collect pavement performance data using a device known as a Laser Road Surface Tester or RST. This device measures pavement roughness, rutting, cracking and other surface distresses as it travels down the roadway. It will also be used to collect digital video and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS} information for cataloging right of way assets.
The RST is a one-ton Ford van with 4 inside mounted cameras and GPS receivers and a modified front bumper. Operated by three field technicians, the RST travels at posted speed limits and will survey each roadway at least once.
