Local transportation agencies are facing severe challenges in keeping roads safe and in good repair. Among those challenges are aging infrastructure, increasing material costs, and stagnant or decreasing funding levels. Many local agencies do not have the funding they need to preserve aging road networks and are looking for alternatives to preserve these systems. To alleviate shortfalls in maintenance funding, some local governments considered unpaving roads. However, this strategy is only one solution and is likely to be unpopular except as a last resort.
In 2016, the LRRB funded a research study, which worked with five pilot counties to assess their transportation system preservation needs, communicate these needs to elected officials and the public, and evaluate the full range of strategies available to close maintenance funding gaps.
The deliverable for this project was an interactive resource guide, including research, tools and strategies that help local agencies communicate transportation system preservation needs to elected officials and the public.
This new task will focus on developing training options and other resources to help other local agencies
(beyond the pilot counties) to use and implement the guide.