Pavement Selection

Pavement Type Selection for the U.S. Interstate Highway System.

Today, less than 27% of the U.S. Interstate Highway System is comprised of concrete pavement (FHWA 2008), with asphalt pavement accounting for the other 73%. In 1956, the beginning of the interstate era, concrete comprised the majority of pavement type selected. This paper explores the dynamics that have led to this change and the FWHA policy designed help grow competition between the two

pavements types. The paper concludes on how to move forward utilizing economic benefit of competition between the two paving industries to provide innovation and maximize value for the nations taxpayers.

1. Introduction

As government transportation departments face cost increases and smaller budgets revisiting the tools at hand and taking on new approaches may provide a viable solution to the challenge of pavement type selection. Pavement type selection is simply the process in which the pavement type is selected. The decision involves balancing upfront costs, short term and long-term performance, and life cycle costs. The pavement type selection process inside of transportation departments is normally a formal process that is guided

by policies and at times politics. It is also understood that inside the department the decision makers do not have adequate training and tools to indisputably compare competitive pavement types for the

economic benefit of the taxpayer.

There is a 52-year-old document “ An Informal Guide on Project Procedures” that despite its age gives proper direction on current and future pavement type selection practices. Published in 1960 by the American Association of State Highway Officials (ASSHO) and now known as ASSHTO where the “ T “ denotes Transportation, this

document still provides the best guidance for...