By: Shannon McGrath, Director, Asset Management Planning, WSB and Shuvo Islam, Asset Management Lead, WSB
Communities rely on their streets, trails, and corridors every single day and pavement is often the most valuable and most visible asset that cities manage. However, it’s also one of the fastest to deteriorate if not maintained strategically.
As infrastructure ages and budgets tighten, more municipalities are turning to preventive approaches to pavement management as a foundational step in strengthening their overall asset portfolio. When leaders understand the true condition of their pavements and how those pavements are likely to age over time, they gain the insight needed to prioritize investments, reduce long-term costs ensuring serviceable roads for the community, and plan with confidence.
Building Smarter, Not Just Smoother
Traditional approaches often focus on fixing the worst roads first. While intuitive, this reactive approach leads to escalating costs and unpredictable spending. Modern pavement management flips that script by identifying where early, low-cost preventive treatments can extend pavement life and delay the need for costly major reconstruction.
It’s a simple truth: Protecting good roads before they fail saves communities significant money down the line.
WSB supports this shift by combining engineering expertise with modern tools to deliver clear, defensible insight into pavement condition and need.
A More Advanced, Accurate Approach
Advances in technology now allow communities to assess pavement networks with greater accuracy and consistency. WSB incorporates:
- Automated condition data collection to reduce subjectivity
- AI supported distress identification for improved accuracy and efficiency
- Customized deterioration modeling based on local climate, traffic, and materials
- GIS integrated inventory management to better inform capital planning and communication to strengthen capital planning and coordination
- Integration into enterprise asset management systems (EAMS) to coordinate with other asset needs, such as underground utilities
While tools and automation are accelerating the work, engineering oversight remains essential. Our team validates results, interprets the data, develops performance models, and collaborates with clients to translate findings into practical treatment strategies.
Driving Better Decisions and Better Outcomes
With a strong pavement management program, communities can:
- Improve overall network condition
- Prioritize projects with confidence
- Stretch limited dollars further
- Reduce emergency repairs and service disruptions
- Coordinate street work with underground utility needs
- Build more predictable, transparent capital plans
For municipal leaders, these benefits directly support safer streets, better experiences for residents, and more resilient infrastructure.
Strengthening Your Community’s Foundation
Pavement is more than a surface; it’s the backbone of mobility, commerce, and daily life. A thoughtful, data driven pavement management strategy gives communities a powerful tool to protect that backbone and invest wisely in the future.
If your city is looking to modernize its approach, improve performance, or align limited resources with long-term goals, our team at WSB is here to help.
