Importance of Street Maintenance
Personal Costs
Individual drivers in Tigard are already paying extra money as a result of
deferred road maintenance. Every time a car or truck drives on roads in poor
condition, the vehicle suffers accelerated wear and tear, increasing time
and money spent at the mechanic, as well as increased fuel consumption and
tire replacement. This problem is not unique to Tigard. A recent study
by TRIP, a national transportation research group, found that the average
American car owner incurs an additional $413 per year in operating costs
because of rough road conditions. This same report found that those
living in the Portland Metropolitan Area incurred approximately $235
per year. As such, drivers in Tigard are suffering less than the national
average, but remain at a very real risk of paying more if roads are not
maintained or repaired.
Consequences of Delayed Maintenance
The costs of deferred maintenance are born by both the community and the
individual driver. As with many investments, timely investments in routine
maintenance in roads can extend pavement life and provide for a safer
driving experience. Not only will roads last longer, but repairing a
failed road can be 4 to 9 times more expensive than a routine maintenance
program. With a limited amount of funds available, the community is
better served by spending the same amount of money maintaining a
greater amount of road miles, than completely rebuilding smaller
sections as the entire network begins to fail. In other words,
if we can keep good streets good, we can maximize the use of limited dollars.
The worse a pavement condition, the
more expensive it is to repair. For instance, routine maintenance and
surface treatments can be implemented for as little as $1.50 to $3.00
a square yard of roadway. This can increase dramatically to $15.00 a
square yard to overlay the road with new asphalt, and up to $90.00 a
square yard if the street is allowed to completely crumble, therefore
needing to be rebuilt.
For a comparison of
maintenance alternatives and their cost,
click here
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