Pavement Management System
Public Works maintains an inventory of all the streets in Broomfield through its Pavement Management System. The
inventory, which is updated yearly, assesses the surface condition of each street. The street conditions are assessed
using a standardized method of pavement distress identification developed by the United States Department of
Transportation's Federal Highway Administration. Distresses for each street are stored in a pavement management database
that, when applied to a formula, calculates the Remaining Service Life (RSL) of a street section. Based on the calculation,
streets are placed into categories rated from excellent condition to poor condition. The system is used as a tool by staff
to determine which streets need to be included in street improvement programs and what treatment they should receive.
 Treatment
options include patching, crack seal, street
sealing, asphalt overlay or complete
reconstruction.
Patching involves routine repair of potholes, low spots and places where
cuts are made to work on the utility system under the street. Crack seal
involves sealing the cracks in pavement and transition areas where
asphalt meets concrete. This prevents water penetration, protects the
sub-grade and protects the street from damage caused by freeze-thaw
cycles.
Street sealing uses the application of a water-based asphalt sealant. This
protects the asphalt binders in the pavement from UV light, water,
petroleum products and damage caused by normal wear. Asphalt overlays
place a new layer of asphalt pavement over the existing pavement. The
new layer ranges in thickness from an inch at the edge of the street to
three inches at the center.
Street reconstruction is the most ambitious operation and involves removal
of existing asphalt pavement, reconditioning the sub-grade and
construction of an entirely new asphalt street.
Find out more about this system!
Watch an on-demand video previously aired on Broomfield's Channel 8. |
