Maintenance requirements for state roads in Austria

Budgets for the operation and maintenance of state roads in many countries and in Austria as well are steadily decreasing causing progressive deterioration of the pavements with serious consequences on the users and on the structural efficiency. Therefore the responsible road operators and administrations really need good arguments for discussions with the politicians to make sure that enough money is available for the road maintenance sector to keep the required condition, even in competition with other sectors like e.g. social matters. With this general background the Austrian State Road Administrations decided to finance a common study on the effects of the actual, not satisfying maintenance budgets on the development of the road condition and to point out the need for additional money in order to keep at least the actual condition. This comprehensive study was conducted using available PMS-data of the respective networks. The results of the study are showing - the increase of sections with a condition backlog until 2020 if only the actual budget is available - the need of additional money to keep the actual (often not satisfying) condition until 2020 and to fulfil a target value of 20% backlog sections - the reduction of the value of the pavement asset based on the structural index until 2020 if only the actual budget is available. This study was finished in May 2011 and is being used by the road administrations in their efforts for sufficient financial means to fulfil their tasks in a sustainable way.