Spreadsheet Pavement Management Systems for Local Roads

Changes in administration and funding levels at the local government level are continuing to illustrate the need for information systems to aid the county engineer or public works director. Decisions must be quick and accurate in light of available data to protect and enhance the infrastructure. With the advent of the computer, the use of spreadsheets and databases software has emerged as the tools of choice in the decision process. Pavement, bridge and infrastructure management systems provide the way to analyze large amounts of data for those decisions. The program operates with aid of the LOTUS 1-2-3 (version 2.0 or higher) program creating a series of spreadsheets that represent pavement condition levels versus severity and extent of distress, rehabilitation strategies and cost for each rehabilitation strategy. The basic program was developed by the Penn. DOT as part of the STAMPP program to evaluate pavements. The program has been adapted to Iowa pavement distresses, rehabilitation strategies, and county road and city street representative costs.