Best Practices for Long-Lasting Low-Volume Pavements

Abstract

A majority of U.S. and international roads are low volume. Pavements on these roads, which are often owned or managed by local agencies with limited resources, represent a large transportation infrastructure asset and could benefit from lower life-cycle costs and better performance. The concept of long-lasting or “perpetual” pavements, often applied to high-volume pavements, is likely to produce similar benefits for low-volume pavements. Careful consideration of current long-lasting pavement research and existing practice can produce a straightforward set of best practices for use by local agency practitioners in designing, constructing, preserving, financing, and marketing long-lasting low-volume pavements. These best practices are (1) a maximum traffic loading; (2) a minimum subgrade support; (3) a minimum pavement structure; (4) construction quality; (5) financing; and (6) marketing. A case study involving the city and county of Honolulu illustrates how these best practices can be put into use in developing and implementing a long-lasting low-volume pavement strategy.