Infrastructure is a major but necessary expense in most government budgets, so reducing the amount of taxpayer money needed to pay for upgrading roadways is always a priority.
In Ohio, folks will literally be keeping an eye on the road to see if substantial savings can be realized by implementing “perpetual pavement” when repaving roads in the future.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that “Ohio University researchers plan to test a new road design that they hope might last 50 years or more with nothing but an occasional new coat of asphalt.” If successful, this form of pavement would reduce costs since making extensive repairs below the surface for traditionally paved roads would cost more despite the higher upfront costs for the thicker asphalt layers needed in perpetual pavement.
Testing and monitoring should take about two years to complete, at which point the state’s DOT would presumably move forward with expanding the implementation of perpetual pavement, if tests prove successful. Undoutedly, other states will be keen to hear Ohio’s results to see if it makes economic sense to install perpetual pavement for their respective roadways.
Let’s hope this is a road to savings for government budgets… to be continued!