Skip to main content

Extending the life of road assets

In an opinion piece published by the IRF, Matthew Jordan-Tank, head of infrastructure policy and IPPF, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has explained that extending the functional life of road assets can be achieved using performance-based contracts. In most developing and merging market economies, roads require rehabilitation, or even reconstruction, many years prior to the expected date. Simply put: usable life is not equal to design life, and it is not uncommon to find that a ro
April 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
RSSIn an opinion piece published by the 3918 IRF Washington, Matthew Jordan-Tank, head of infrastructure policy and IPPF, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has explained that extending the functional life of road assets can be achieved using performance-based contracts.

In most developing and merging market economies, roads require rehabilitation, or even reconstruction, many years prior to the expected date. Simply put: usable life is not equal to design life, and it is not uncommon to find that a road must be rehabilitated only halfway into its estimated original asset duration. While harsh climate conditions with large seasonal temperature changes may play a role, much of this 'premature' investment boils down to lack of systematic maintenance that is normally applied in countries with regular 'asset management' funding regimes.

Applying performance-based maintenance contracting to the road sector can produce significant fiscal improvements, as well as user benefits in the form of better maintained and therefore safer roads.

EBRD recently published a paper providing a condensed yet substantive overview of the key international lessons learned in the area of performance-based contracts.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Trading on carbon markets
    August 2, 2012
    Anticipating new trends, IRF is organising a panel discussion on this promising and fast-growing market during the 2nd International Roads & Environment Conference Signing the declaration on Energy, Security and Climate Change in Hokkaido, Japan, during the last G8 meeting, 17 leaders of the world's major economies have underlined the potential of appropriate market mechanisms when looking for global solutions in the fight against climate change. Emissions' trading is one of the options and certainly the in
  • HighwaysUK event being held in London
    November 9, 2015
    Highways planning in England is at a historic turning point. That is the message that former transport minister Steve Norris will be bringing to the HighwaysUK conference at ExCel London, 25-26 November. Norris speaks from a position of some experience having worked at the highest levels in both the public and private transport sectors. He is in no doubt that the recent shake up that has transformed the Highways Agency into Highways England is the start of a new era. He said, “It’s not just a badge chang
  • Working towards safer India mobility...
    July 18, 2012
    Sibylle Rupprecht, IRF-GPC Director General, looks towards sound mobility management at the 3rd Regional Conference of the International Road Federation 3rd-4th October 2008 in New Delhi, India More than 1.2 million deaths and 23 million injuries are caused by road accidents worldwide every year. Of these, India accounts for 10% of fatal accidents. These alarming figures were disclosed by the speakers at the 3rd Regional IRF Conference on 'Mobility and Safety in Road Transport' to some 250 engineers and exp
  • Electric power projects planned
    January 26, 2018
    While diesel engines continue to be developed, there is no mistaking the current plans for electric driveline projects - Mike Woof writes The growing worldwide consensus on the massive threat to humanity posed by climate change means that the need to reduce exhaust emissions from transport and construction is becoming ever more pressing. As a result, industry is changing and new solutions are being found for transport and construction that will help lower environmental impact. Although many solutions are