The New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for the rehabilitation and maintenance of approximately 19,650 km of provincially designated highways and roads. Nearly 85 percent of this network is hard surfaced including 9800 km of designated local highways and roads. Maintaining this local network at an acceptable standard requires a significant investment that has become increasingly challenging given current economic and fiscal constraints. Available funding is most often directed towards higher priority projects, while many low volume local asphalt roads are deteriorating with escalating rehabilitation costs. The Department’s Long Term Investment Projection estimates an average of 300 km of asphalt rehabilitation is required annually over the next ten years to sustain the paved highway network. However, New Brunswick like other the provinces is implementing measures to reduce annual deficits and achieve spending efficiencies. In response, the Department undertook a study to develop a policy to ensure that the most appropriate surface type is selected in the future based on clearly defined and transparent level of service criteria that considered engineering suitability, least life-cycle cost, and functional / service characteristics. This paper documents the development of a multi-staged, screening pavement preservation decision making framework that will support the province to achieve a stronger position for achieving infrastructure sustainability.
