Thinking Outside the Box: Modern Road Maintenance Technology can Transform the Way Municipalities Work
“Why aren’t the roads getting any better? Why do they only get worse and worse? Why can’t the city fix this? Why am I paying taxes?”
Taxpayers ask these questions time and time again. Despite their best efforts, however, even government leaders can be unclear about a permanent solution to road problems.
It goes without saying the nation’s highway systems are in serious need of maintenance and improvements. In 2017 the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published its annual Infrastructure Report, and America’s roadway system received a “D” rating. Although the road and highway systems continue to deteriorate, the costs to maintain or rebuild roads continues to rise. So, the question becomes how do those responsible for maintaining the highway system do more with less?
Answered simply, municipal organizations and state Departments of Transportation need to start embracing and utilizing new and innovative ways to tackle the issues they have faced for decades. The same repair methods that worked 10 years ago are no longer effective or long-term solutions to the issues faced today. Municipalities are facing a whole new set of challenges that require them to think outside the box and find solutions that fit their current and future needs.
Taking advantage of modern technology and advanced road maintenance equipment are crucial first steps toward long-term solutions.
Think about it like this:
• In the past, potholes were repeatedly filled with asphalt, but the repairs were only temporary.
Now with the right equipment and the new patching techniques, municipalities can offer residents pothole patches that last.
Today, hotbox reclaimers are available, so road repairs can be made all year long. As a result, municipalities can make repairs on a regular basis.
• In the past, municipalities were forced to rely on expensive and temporary cold patch material, but now with asphalt recycling machines, municipalities can recycle road millings back into plant-quality hotmix asphalt year-round. So not only are municipalities able to save about 75% on material, but they are able to patch with a longer lasting and more permanent repair material.
Thinking outside the box to find new and better ways of completing road repairs can help save money for your community, and the repairs may last much longer than you know. Explore how KM International’s industry-leading road maintenance equipment will lead to faster, better, and longer-lasting road repairs by visiting us online.
If these changes have already been made and already can provide your community with so many benefits, just imagine what the future has in store for the road maintenance industry.
