FOCUS AREAS
ASSET MANAGEMENT
DRAFT
TO ACCESS THE CURRENT 2045 HATS RTP, CLICK HERE
As shown in the Regional Profile, the HATS Region’s transportation system consists of more than 5,000 miles of roadway and over 1,300 bridges. Whether state- and locally-owned, managing and maintaining these assets consistent with federal and state policies and programs is essential to pursuing nearly every goal identified in this RTP. By working with a variety of regional partners – PennDOT, counties, municipalities – we can ensure our region’s transportation system continues to be a driver of economic and community development for years to come.
QUICK LINKS
CONDITIONS
ROADWAY CONDITION —
Reported in inches per mile, International Roughness Index (IRI) ratings provide a metric which illustrates the smoothness of the ride on a surveyed stretch of road and is utilized in federal performance measures. While an IRI value provides a rating for the road, the designation of that rating (excellent, good, fair or poor) varies depending on the characteristics of the road itself. PennDOT uses the breakdown of IRI values is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - IRI Ratings
Table 1 - Current Roadway Condition
There are four business plan networks (BPN) which are grouped into two categories. BPN 1 (Interstate) and BPN 2 (Non-Interstate) incorporate all roads on the National Highway System (NHS) and are subject to federal performance measures. BPN 3 (ADT >= 2,000) and BPN 4 (ADT < 2,000) includes the rest of the state-owned federal aid system that is not on the NHS separated by average daily traffic (ADT) volumes. Table 1 shows the segment miles of each BPN categorized by condition. The median IRI rating is highest for BPN 1 and consistently decrease for all business plan networks in the Federal Aid System, but all fall within “Good” or “Fair” ranges.
As shown in Table 2, from 2020 to 2024, the region’s pavement condition has been generally declining. Overall segment miles rated excellent have decreased, with most of the decrease occurring within BPN 4 (non-NHS, <2000 ADT0). Correspondingly, overall segment miles rated good, fair, or poor increased, with segment miles rated fair increasing the most. Another indicator of the general change in pavement condition is the increase in median IRI rating across all four business plan networks.
Figure 2 shows the general trends in pavement condition by business plan network over the last ten years. While 2014 to 2020 showed a general improvement in roadway condition, the decline seen from 2020 to 2024 (as described above) has resulted in IRI ratings very similar to those in 2014. This is likely the result of the significant focus and investments in interstate and bridge improvement projects.
To view the roadway condition data, click here for the interactive mapping application.
BRIDGE CONDITION —
There are over 1,300 federal aid eligible bridges in the HATS region. A summary of bridge condition is shown in Table 3. BPN 1 and BPN 2 have significantly lower percentages of bridges rated poor than BPN 3 and BPN 4.
Table 2 - Roadway Condition Change
Figure 2 - Roadway Condition Trends
In general, state-owned bridges have a lower percentage rated poor than the region’s locally owned, federal-aid eligible bridges. Similar to the trends in pavement condition, lower business plan networks have lower percentages of bridges rated poor.
Since 2020, bridge condition in the HATS region has stayed relatively consistent. There has been slight increase in “poor” rated bridges on the NHS network, while the non-NHS network has seen a general decrease in “poor” Rated bridges. Both the state-owned and locally owned bridge systems have shown a general improvement in condition since 2020.
Table 3 - Current Bridge Condition
On the local system, there was a notable decline in “poor” rated bridges, seen in the tables above and below. All three counties showed an improvement with Dauphin County seeing the biggest improvement with their “poor” bridge total being reduced nearly in half from 2020. Additionally, closed and posted locally owned bridges have drastically decreased. Overall, the locally owned, federal aid eligible bridge system has shown an improvement in bridge condition over the last four years.
Table 4 - Current Bridge Condition
To view the bridge condition data, click here for the interactive mapping application.
PENNDOT TAMP —
In 2022, PennDOT adopted a Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP), as required of each state department of transportation by federal regulations. The TAMP summarizes and forecasts Pennsylvania’s inventory of NHS pavement and bridge assets, and outlines Pennsylvania’s asset management processes. The TAMP is fiscally constrained and lays out PennDOT’s Lowest Life Cycle Cost
Table 5 - Local Bridge Condition
approach, which is consistent federal requirements for Life Cycle Planning and designed to maximize the life of an asset at the lowest cost through a risk-based prioritization of preservation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Most importantly, the TAMP establishes federal performance measure targets related to pavement and bridge condition (among other things). These performance measure discussed later in the RTP.
ISSUES
LIFE CYCLE PLANNING—
In accordance with federal regulations, PennDOT now utilizes a Lowest Life Cycle Cost (LLCC) method for their asset management program. LLCC is an asset management strategy which focuses on asset preservation and well-timed maintenance activities to extend the operational life of assets with a lower annual cost (when compared to the worst-first strategy). This LLCC asset management strategy replaces the “worst first” strategy which prioritized assets in the poorest condition first without consideration of an asset’s remaining life. LLCC is intended to increase funding efficiency and maximize asset lifespan. For more information on PennDOT’s Lowest Life Cycle Cost approach, click here.
Selecting potential bridge projects under a LLCC approach requires more technical analysis and knowledge than the previous “worst first” approach. PennDOT has developed tools like BridgeCares and Pavement Asset Management System (PAMS) to assist planning partners in these technical analysis, which are being incorporated into HATS existing project analysis, identification, and outreach processes.
LOCAL ASSET NEEDS—
While the focus of the HATS transportation planning program is the NHS system and federal performance measures, recent analyses and outreach has made clear the needs on the locally owned transportation system. For
locally owned, federal-aid eligible bridges and roadways, HATS staff has been taking actions including programming a Local Bridge Improvement line item on the Transportation Improvement Program and working with PennDOT District 8-0 to identify additional candidates for analysis in project selection. Moving forward, additional needs have been identified related to pavement condition data collection and improvements on locally-owned bridges not eligible for federal aid.
To view a map of all locally owned, federal-aid eligible roads and bridges, click here for the interactive mapping application.
MAINTAINING TSMO & ITS INFRASTRUCTURE—
As technology becomes more embedded in our region’s transportation system, we’ll need to expand how we think about asset management. Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) improvements need to be maintained and managed to ensure their long-term effectiveness. Communications hardware and software control connected signals, message boards, closed circuit television (CCTV) equipment that many of these systems rely upon. Without the technological capacity and systems architecture for these systems to remain adequate to demands and in proper working order, our transportation system will experience effects similar to those felt when bridges or highways fail.
ACTIONS
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Coordinate with PennDOT to manage the region’s transportation assets consistent with the Lowest Life Cycle Cost methodology and federal performance measure requirements
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Collect and analyze data on locally owned, federal aid eligible assets to ensure equal consideration in project selection and development
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Identify alternate funding opportunities for local assets and transportation improvements
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Consider TSMO and ITS infrastructure needs in asset management decisions