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

  • OECD countries invest average 1% GDP on road/rail infrastructure
    July 11, 2013
    OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries investment in road, rail and inland waterway infrastructure as a percentage of GDP averages around 1%, according to new research by the International Transport Forum (ITF). The figure is contained in the ITF at the OECD’s 2013 annual statistics update ‘Spending on Transport Infrastructure 1995-2011: Trends, Policies, Data’, which is accompanied by a related database, released today.
  • WJ’s Guardian stud machine to be launched in Europe
    February 23, 2018
    Stud placement just got a lot safer for road operatives in continental Europe thanks to a collaboration between the UK’s WJ Group and Belgium’s ACB. UK-based WJ Group and ACB formed their joint venture company, ACBWJ around 2006 to share product knowledge, marketing and research into thermoplastics and road markings. ACBWJ will officially launch WJ’s Guardian stud placement vehicle into the European market at the Intertraffic exhibition in Amsterdam from March 20-23.
  • Bitumen trade bodies lead the carbon charge
    October 18, 2024
    On either side of the Atlantic, bitumen, asphalt and paving trade bodies are pushing their members to cut more carbon associated with their paving activities. Kristina Smith reports.
  • Shell is pushing ahead with decarbonisation
    July 8, 2022
    Why is Shell interested in bricks and concrete? Kristina Smith met the head of its new Roads and Construction division, Raman Ojha to find out