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Perspectives |
Pavement Management Programsby Mike Groh With all the day-to-day activities that Facility
Managers have responsibility for, it’s no wonder parking lot maintenance is
often overlooked. Whether due to lack
of funding, or lack of know how, pavement
maintenance is frequently a low priority. There are many reasons why maintaining a parking lot is not a
priority for most Facility Managers.
Benchmark has found the primary reason is that Facility Managers often
are not aware of the true value of their pavement asset. It is not uncommon that the replacement
value of a hot mix asphalt parking lot can have a value in excess of
$1,000,000. A typical cost to install
a parking stall with hot mix asphalt is $1,500 - $2,000 per stall. The value of this asset is such that if the maintenance is
overlooked for an extended period of time, the cost to replace it is often
prohibitive in financial terms, and the amount of downtime required to
replace the lot is usually substantial.
A Facility Manager is then faced with using a “band-aid” approach that
only exacerbates the problem. A
band-aided lot is probably not the best first impression a company wants its
customers to have. Pavement Management Program There are numerous interpretations of what elements comprise
a Pavement Management Program (PMP).
Unfortunately, Benchmark is often asked to initiate a PMP after significant problems have occurred. The earlier a PMP is begun, the greater the
benefits a Facility Manager will experience when maintaining his/her
pavements. The key activities that comprise a PMP are: o
Pavement Inventory Assessment o
Plans and Specifications o
Construction Management
Services o
Tracking of Maintenance /
Rehabilitation Pavement Inventory
Assessment In order to properly execute a cost-effective management
program for pavements, it is important to have a comprehensive
inventory of a facility’s pavements. Prior to the fieldwork, it is recommended that the pavement
area be categorized into various sections by type of use, location or
condition. These various sections
allow for more detail to be noted and assists in the
budgeting process. During the
assessment, the condition of the pavement is rated numerically using a
variety of methodologies. In addition
to rating the pavement condition, consideration should also be given to
adjacent elements such as curbs and sidewalks, as well as drainage
structures. It is imperative that
during the assessment, issues pertaining to pedestrian access be taken into
consideration. This is also an
excellent time to identify any safety items requiring immediate repair. After the fieldwork has been completed, the next step is to
generate a report that describes the original pavement construction and its
current condition by section. The
condition rating and use of the pavement will assist in determining the
appropriate rehabilitation requirements or maintenance activity, and the year
in which it should be completed. This
information is then converted into budget information on a year-by-year
basis. We recommend that the budget be
established for a period of five years, with a reinspection
scheduled for every other year.
Updates to the budget become necessary based on changes in the
pavement condition, local construction cost variability, and to track recent
activities. Implementation of a database format allows the Facility
Manager to generate numerous reports based on pavement type, condition rating
and type of work. Some databases allow
the Facility Manager to query data and generate more specific reports. In situations where the Facility Manager is responsible for multiple sites, the
database should have the ability to provide reports on a single site or
multiple sites for management purposes. Over the past few decades, Benchmark’s clients have been able
to utilize this information to assist them in their budgeting process. A well-documented condition summary,
combined with accurate cost estimates, is an effective tool in obtaining
funding and reducing overall costs to maintain pavements. Plans and Specifications The next step is to initiate the work outlined in the
report. Facility Managers often tell
us that they typically call three contractors to “give them bids to fix their
lots”. At best, their efforts result
in trying to compare proposals that offer various construction procedures
that are not comparable, including significant variations in cost. In some situations, the contractor is
asking them to spend an amount in the low six figures based on a one line
proposal that reads, “Clean, patch and pave the south parking lot”. They fully expect a Facility Manager to
commit large sums of money based on very little information. Either situation is a lose-lose proposition
for a Facility Manager. In order to maximize a Facility Manager’s budget, a detailed
set of plans and specifications must be developed. Benchmark recommends clients avoid
accepting lump sum proposals, as they provide no flexibility in making
adjustments in the field based on conditions encountered or changes in
budgets. The scope of work must be
clearly defined in the specification, utilizing industry standards for
materials and installation. The
rehabilitation plan must show limits of the work, and any applicable pavement
design cross-sections to support information contained in the specifications. The proposal form should reflect the scope
of work with applicable pay quantities and units of measurement that will be
used. The detailed proposal form
allows Facility Managers to select the most responsible bidder, which is not
always the lowest bidder. Construction Management Services Construction management services are a combination of
contract administration and onsite construction observation. Contract administration includes conducting
a pre-construction meeting, review and approval of material submittals,
scheduling/phasing coordination, pay recommendations, and preparation of
record documents. The benefit of onsite construction observation is to ensure
specifications are being followed, and most importantly, that materials are
being transported and placed consistent with the specifications. Another key factor is tracking pay
quantities outlined in the proposal form, and comparing actual material usage
with theoretical yields. A variation
of 1/2” in the placement of hot mix asphalt on a 200 stall parking lot is
approximately 200 tons of hot mix asphalt.
The value will vary by type of mix and installation related issues,
but conservatively the cost would be $8,000.
Benchmark finds the majority of Facility Managers do not have the
background or the time to monitor their projects to protect their investment. The benefit of a well executed Pavement Management Program is
that the serviceable life of a properly constructed pavement can be extended
beyond its anticipated life cycle. The
total expenditures on the pavement will be significantly less in a proactive
approach, and the serviceability of the pavement will be better. Only
end users can place a value on a pavement that is safer, has less maintenance
downtime, and is more aesthetically pleasing.
There’s no time like the present to implement a Pavement Management
Program. Copyright (c) 2005, Benchmark,
Inc., all rights reserved. |
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