All Info: Road Maintenance
Nuggets & Nibbles / Quick Answers / Tech Tips / Videos / Books / Other
Nuggets & Nibbles
- Basic Roadway Improvements for Bicyclists
- Ditch Maintenance
- Effects Of Excess Subsurface Water
- Inspections and Getting Ready for Summer
- Pavement Cracking: A Failure Indicator of Your Roads
- Pavement Maintenance:
The Right Treatment, in the Right Place, at the Right Time - Soil Stabilization and Your Highways
- The Glue That Holds it Together
- Those Cracks on the Edge of the Road …What Causes Them?
- Throw & Roll!
- Watershed Planning for Improved Drainage
- What was Involved in Building the New Parkway Culvert...
Quick Answers
- Is there a simple way to know when a crew can clean a ditch on private property that is fed by a road crossing pipe? (6/11/18)
- Is there a law that allows a municipal highway department to remove trees, brush, and vegetation along the right of way area of a road and/or are there any regulations or laws that protect trees along the right of way, thus prohibiting a municipality from removing trees? (5/9/18)
- When damage is caused to a highway by a private contractor due to their equipment not utilizing proper pavement protections, who is liable and responsible for damages?
- Are the amounts under Permanent Improvements the total of the anticipated state aid? (i.e. CHIPS)
- Are there any requirements for how many and how bright yellow (amber) flashing lights are to be on work trucks?
- Can a 284 Agreement be changed after it has been approved?
- Can I use CHIPS monies for crack repairs?
- Can we use existing rustic box beam in stock to replace rusting rustic box beam?
- How do I calculate the percentage of asphalt in a mix?
- How late into the Fall can I do paving, and how early can I start in the Spring?
- In preparing a 284 Agreement, is the amount under General Repairs for materials only?
- Is it better to place cobbles or sand directly on an weak subgrade?
- Is it OK to backfill culverts with material dug out from around the old pipe?
- Is there a law about home owners putting markers along the roads to keep snow plows off the shoulders?
- Should all crosswalks be painted?
- We have a low-volume local road that was reconstructed two years ago. It is now showing cracks in the center of the travel lane, running parallel to the edge of the road. What should we do?
- What are some Best Practices that should be considered when applying a Tack Coat?
- What is a Cape Seal and how is it compared to other Surface Treatments?
- What is a Heater-Scarifier?
- What is Cold-in-place recycling and what are its advantages?
- What is the most efficient way to fill potholes?
- What is the proper placement of the Railroad Advanced Warning Sign?
- What is the proper technique for filling potholes?
- What should I use to seal a driveway?
- What traffic control is required in a night time work zone?
- When do you need to install ADA compliant curb ramps as part of a pavement resurfacing project?
- Where can I find information on gravel road maintenance?
- Which Tack Coat material should I use for an asphalt overlay?
- Who is responsible for clearing brush at an intersection owned by two different municipalities?
- Why do chip seals fail
- Why do we need to mow grass lined ditches?
- Why should I use Tack Coat and is it worth the extra cost?
Tech Tips
- Guidelines and Standards for Classifying & Managing Roads & Streets (pdf)
- Pavement Cracking: A Failure Indicator of Your Roads (pdf)
- Statement of Work
Guidelines (pdf version)
Crack Repairs (pdf version)
Stop Sign Installation (pdf version) - Upgrading Your Roads (pdf)
- Using Road Function to Implement Planning(pdf)
Other
- Estimating project costs spreadsheet (pdf)
- Estimating project costs spreadsheet (xlsx)
- Budget needs spreadsheet (xls)
- Blank worksheet (pdf)
- Personnel policy (pdf)
Concrete Joint and Crack Sealing Basics
Asphalt Pavement Crack Sealing Processes, Materials, and Installation Procedures
Videos
Video request form
Access Management: A New Response (RM331)
Genesee Transportation Council (14 minutes)
A discussion of safety, congestion relief, and improved access to businesses and adjacent land. Route 322 in Canandaigua, New York, is featured, along with testimonials from state and local officials and business leaders.
Suggested audience: county, town and village highway officials, engineers, municipal officials, business groups, planning and zoning boards.
Asphalt Crack Treatment (RM256)
Minnesota LRRB (15 minutes)
Describes the differences between sealing and filling cracks in asphalt pavement and how and when to apply treatment. Compares ways to clean and apply fill or seal cracks. Stresses that there are many correct ways to repair cracks, depending on your budget.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews, engineers.
Asphalt Emulsion Spray Application© (RM055)
Asphalt Institute (23 minutes)
Demonstrates the steps involved in applying emulsion and aggregate, the proper types to use, and proper application conditions.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews, engineers.
Asphalt Overlays: The Four P’s© (RM215)
Asphalt Institute (15 minutes)
Discusses asphalt overlays; the importance of the four P’s: planning, preparation, production, and placement; and concepts to be considered involving hot mix asphalt overlays.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents, engineers, municipal officials.
Asphalt Paving Inspection (RM241)
FHWA (1 hour)
A general overview of hot mix asphalt paving operations and inspecting the work. Covers basic responsibilities, and some common problems with paving operations.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews, beginning level engineers,
inspectors, and municipal officials.
Asphalt Roadway Rehabilitation (RM263)
LTAP (6 minutes)
Shows and explains the process of road rehabilitation with asphalt pavement.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Base and Subbase Repair© (RM056)
FHWA/IRF (16 minutes)
Illustrates nine steps for repair of base and subbase. Shows on-site tests for moisture content of subgrade and base materials.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and foremen.
Best Practices: Crack Filling/Sealing (RM466)
Ohio DOT 2011 (20 minutes)
This video focuses on roadway maintenance activities, including proper PPE and safety.
Suggested audience: Highway Superintendents, managers and crew
Blading Unpaved Roads© (RM060)
FHWA (22 minutes)
Illustrates practical aspects of motor grader operation to maintain unpaved roads; differences between blading and shaping; appropriate use of drags; and grading of intersections, driveways, bridge approaches, and railroad crossings.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents and crews.
Calcium Chloride Full Depth Reclamation (RM062)
General Chemical Corporation (15 minutes)
Reports of studies and research on advantages of calcium chloride base stabilization for paved and unpaved roads. Uses technical language and metric measurements. Features Niskayuna, NY.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and engineers.
Chip Seal Application (RM239)
FHWA/BSN (40 minutes)
Covers the basic aspects of chip seals, the procedures to be followed and some common problems. Offers general information about materials. Not specific to NYS specifications.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents, engineers, and municipal officials.
Chip Seal Surfacing (RM064)
Arkansas T2 Center (14 minutes)
Road distress reasons and solutions. Maintaining roads by chip sealing, fog sealing, slurry sealing and patching. Rating road conditions, spray and spreader rates, surface preparation.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Cold In-Place Recycling© (RM065)
ARRA (10 minutes)
Describes cold in-place recycling, core sample testing, design of recycling content procedures, advantages and disadvantages, and illustrates recycling machinery.
Suggested audience: highway officials interested in the advantages of pavement recycling.
Common Maintenance Problems and Causes© (RM067)
FHWA/IRF (21 minutes)
Identifies the primary causes of most road maintenance problems, and discusses the importance of doing maintenance tasks correctly.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and foremen.
Edge Rut Repair and Grade Gravel Shoulder (RM249)
Utah DOT (11 minutes)
This video begins by showing viewers a properly constructed shoulder. It continues by demonstrating the procedures for edge rut repair and grading gravel shoulders.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents, foremen, and crews.
Everyone Pays for Potholes (RM138)
Cornell Local Roads Program (27 minutes)
For every dollar spent by highway agencies to maintain roads, road users pay at least $60 in out-of-pocket costs for extra fuel and car repairs. This program identifies the causes of the problem and presents ideas to solve the problems.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents.
Forest Roads and the Environment (RM371)
(#1 of a 5-part series, see RM370)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (18 minutes)
An overview of how the road and environment interact with each other, this video discusses the benefits of proper maintenance activities for low-volume roads.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Full Depth Reclamation© (RM070)
ARRA, 1992 (12 minutes)
The application and use of full depth reclamation. Describes short and long-term benefits.
Suggested audience: highway officials in large municipalities.
Gravel Road Maintenance: Meeting the Challenge (RM419)
MnDOT (30 minutes)
This video shows the proper maintenance techniques needed to maintain gravel roads.
Sections include: introduction, correct roadway shape, shaping the roadway, good surface gravel, dust control.
Suggested audience: town highway superintendents, municipal officials, crews.
Guidelines for Maintenance and Service of Unpaved Roads (RM344)
Choctawhatchee, Pea, and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority (22 minutes)
A good review of blading, grading, and ditch maintenance techniques, with an emphasis on environmental effects and concerns. Some culvert maintenance information is provided.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Guidelines for Spring Highway Use Restrictions (RM023)
Washington State DOT (26 minutes)
Research findings focusing on pavement weight restriction policies due to cold weather-related pavement problems, such as frost heaves and pavement weakening. Guidelines on where, how much, and when to impose and remove weight restrictions.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents.
Hot In-Place Recycling© (RM162)
ARRA (7 minutes)
Shows benefits and techniques of hot in-place recycling of asphalt pavement.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Maintaining Asphalt Roads - Blade Patching (RM075)
New Mexico Highway Department (55 minutes)
Illustrates the process of blade patching: cleaning and preparing the surface to be patched, laying material, lifts, tapers, compaction, final rolling and clean-up.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Maintaining the Ditch and Surface Cross Drains (RM375)
(#5 of a 5-part series, see RM370)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (16 minutes)
Comprehensive instructions for correctly constructing and maintaining ditches, culverts, and various surface cross drains.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Pavement Structure Repair Techniques (RM078) (2 video set)
North Carolina Institute for Transportation Research and Education (2 hours 11 minutes)
Video 1: (88 minutes): Maintenance of Gravel Roads (27 minutes), Ditch Maintenance (17 minutes), Pothole Patching (17 minutes), Crack Sealing (16 minutes), and Basic Traffic Control (11 minutes).
Video 2: (43 minutes):
Shoulder Maintenance (21 minutes) and Asphalt Chip Seals (22 minutes).
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and foremen.
Pothole Killer, The (RM321)
Patch Management, Inc. (7 minutes)
This video describes a machine that can patch potholes, cracks, and edge erosion in any weather. The machine is owned by Patch Management, Inc., and uses a spray injection process recommended by the FHWA. Although this tape is a “commercial” for the machine, you may want to know something about the process.
Suggested audience: highway and public works officials and crews.
Potholes: Causes, Cures and Prevention© (RM081)
CRREL, 1993 (12 minutes)
Demonstration of pothole repair techniques; why potholes occur, how to fix them, how water and traffic cause them, and how to establish a pothole management program.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Preventive Maintenance: Project Selection (RM324)
FHWA (30 minutes)
Expands upon the scope of the first video in this series (see RM265, Preventive Maintenance: Protecting Our Pavements), by focusing on the selection of the right treatment for the right road. This video provides a general overview of the various preventive maintenance treatment options available for both rigid and flexible pavements and their suitability for a given pavement condition.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and municipal officials.
Preventive Maintenance: Protecting Our Pavements (RM265)
FHWA (14 minutes)
A good overview of preventive maintenance. Promotes a shift in funding from repair or reconstruction of damaged roads to maintaining a road’s condition before it fails. Defines and discusses the benefits of preventive maintenance.
Also see RM324 “Preventive Maintenance: Project Selection,” the second video in this series.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and municipal officials.
Problems with Gravel Roads (RM238)
FHWA/BSN (55 minutes)
A general overview of the problems associated with gravel roads. A good video for those who want to know how gravel roads fail. Covers materials, environment, problems, grader equipment and techniques.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and new workers.
Reading Beyond the Traveled Way (RM373)
(#3 of 5-part series, see RM370)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (16 minutes)
What is happening beyond the edge of the gravel surface is discussed. The tape considers natural functions (rain and erosion) and how to use that knowledge to minimize significant impacts on the road before beginning maintenance operations.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Reading the Traveled Way (RM372)
(# 2 of 5-part series, see RM370)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (16 minutes)
This video focuses on understanding the condition of a road and providing insights on how to proactively avoid costly repairs by properly addressing the road in its current state.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Rehabilitation of Portland Cement Concrete Pavements Using Hot Mix Asphalt
Overlays© (RM165)
Asphalt Institute (18 minutes)
Details the use of four proven techniques for deterring reflective cracking in hot mix asphalt overlays of concrete pavement.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and foremen.
Road Maintenance Training Video Series (RM370) (5-part set)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (85 minutes)
This series consists of five videos (individually described in this section) that progress from an overview of road maintenance to the step-by-step methods of blading a road. The five titles are: Forest Roads and the Environment (RM371), Reading the Traveled Way (RM372), Reading Beyond the Traveled Way (RM373), Smoothing and Reshaping the Traveled Way (RM374), and Maintaining the Ditch and Surface Cross Drains (RM375).
You can obtain your own set of the Road Maintenance Training Series, free of charge, by
contacting the US Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center at
(909) 599-1267.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Setting Maintenance Priorities for Low-Volume Roads (RM300)
IRF (10 minutes)
The reasons for setting maintenance priorities and some simple methods to help set them.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and municipal officials.
Smoothing and Reshaping the Traveled Way (RM374)
(# 4 of 5-part series, see RM370)
U.S. Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center (18 minutes)
The step-by-step process for smoothing and reshaping a gravel road, including crowned, insloped and outsloped roads, and transition segments.
Suggested audience: town and village highway superintendents, engineers, and crews.
Utility Cut Repair: Doing it Right (RM254)
Minnesota LRRB (11 minutes)
The importance of the proper repair of utility cuts in pavements. Reviews possible causes of failed utility cut repairs, and proper procedure for conducting utility cut repairs. Some material is specific to Minnesota.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews.
Utility Cuts in Paved Roads: Parts 1 & 2 (RM258)
LTAP/BSN (41 minutes)
A general review of utility repairs. Covers utility coordination & control, locating existing utilities, traffic control, pavement cutting, excavation, backfilling, surface restoration, and site cleanup.
Suggested audience: highway superintendents and crews, engineers, municipal officials.
What’s Hot Mix Asphalt?© (RM212)
NAPA (11 minutes)
This video defines hot mix asphalt and its components, asphalt and aggregates, and discusses the origin and importance of these, and the advantages of hot mix asphalt.
Suggested audience: highway and municipal officials, and engineers.
Books
Library request form
Asphalt Pavement Maintenance Field Guide
Manual #2001-05 REV
Source: University of Minnesota & MN DOT
Keywords: Asphalt, Crack Repair, Maintenance, Patching, PMS, Surface Treatments
Asphalt Roadway Rehabilitation Alternatives: A Training Course
FHWA-SA-97-047
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Asphalt, Construction, Maintenance, PMS, Repairs
Basic Asphalt Recycling Manual
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Asphalt, Recyling
Blading Aggregate Surfaces
Source: NACE
Keywords: Blading, Dragging, Gravel, Maintenance
Chip-Seal Design Using an Expert System
FHWA/NY/SR-96/122
Source: NYSDOT Special Report 122
Keywords: Chip-Seal, Maintenance, Surface Treatment
Chip-Seal Road Maintenance
Source: Texas Engineering Extension Service
Keywords: Chip-Seal, Maintenance, Surface Treatment
Deep Patch Road Embankment Repair Application Guide
0577 1204-SDTDC
Source: USDA Forest Service
Keywords: Embankment, Erosion, Roadside, Slopes
Dust Control on Low Volume Roads
FHWA-LT-01-002
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Aggregates, Distress, Dust, Low-Volume Roads
Dust Palliative Selection and Application Guide
9977 1207-SDTDC
Source: USDA Forest Service
Keywords: Dust, Maintenance, Palliative
Environmentally sensitive road maintenance practices for dirt and gravel roads
Source: USDA
Keywords: Road maintenance, gravel roads, dirt roads
Field Management of Hot Mix Asphalt
Info Series 124
Source: NAPA
Keywords: Asphalt Management, Asphalt Properties
Framework for Evaluating Use of Recycled Materials in the Highway Environment
FHWA-RD-00-140
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Recycled Materials, Testing, Methodology
Guidelines for Slope Maintenance and Slide Restoration
FHWA-TS-85-231
Source: FHWA
Keywords: Erosion, Slopes
Guidelines for Using Prime and Tack Coats
FHWA-CFL/TD-05-002
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Asphalt Emulsion, Gravel, Maintenance
Gravel roads construction & maintenance guide
FHWA
Handling and Processing of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)
Information Series 88
Source: NAPA
Keywords: Asphalt, RAP, Recycling
HMA Pavement Mix Type Selection Guide
Information Series 128
Source: NAPA
Hot Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook 2000 (CD)
Source: AASHTO, et al.
Keywords: Asphalt, Hot-Mix
Maintenance of Aggregate and Earth Roads
WA-RD 144.1
Source: Washington State DOT
Keywords: Gravel, Maintenance
Manual of Practice: Materials and Procedures for Rapid Repair of Partial-Depth Spalls in Concrete Pavements
FHWA-RD-99-152
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Concrete, Pavement Maintenance, Spall Repair
Manual of Practice: Materials and Procedures for Repair of Joint Seals in Portland Cement Concrete Pavements
FHWA-RD-99-146
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Cement, Joint Seal
Manual of Practice: Materials and Procedures for Repair of Potholes in Asphalt-Surfaced Pavements - Manual of Practice
FHWA-RD-99-168
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Repair, Potholes, Asphalt
Manual of Practice: Materials and Procedures for Sealing and Filling Cracks in Asphalt-Surfaced Pavements
FHWA-RD-99-147
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Asphalt, Cracks, Repair
Materials for Stabilization (Education and Information Guide)
HC-100
Source: American Road Builders Association
Keywords: Historical, Maintenance, Stabilization
NACE Action Guide Vol. I-5: Maintenance Management
Source: NACE
Keywords: Budget, Maintenance, Management
NACE Action Guide Vol. II-2: Road Programming
Source: NACE
Keywords: Administration, Maintenance, Management
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 1 - Crack Seal Application
FHWA-IF-02-005
Keywords: Asphalt, Crack Seal, Pavement Maintenance
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 2 - Chip Seal Application
FHWA-IF-02-046
Source: Chip Seal
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 3 - Thin Hot-Mix Asphalt Overlay
FHWA-IF-02-049
Keywords: Asphalt, Hot Mix
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 4 - Fog Seal Application
FHWA-IF-03-001
Keywords: Fog Seal
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 5 - Microsurfacing Application
FHWA-IF-03-002
Keywords: Microsurfacing
Pavement Preservation Checklist Series: 6 - Joint Sealing Portland Cement Concrete Pavements
FHWA-IF-03-003
Keywords: Cement, Joint Sealing
Pavement Preservation: The Preventive Maintenance Concept
FHWA-HI-00-006
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Asphalt, Concrete, Maintenance, PMS
Pothole Primer: A Public Administrator's Guide to Understanding and Managing the Pothole Problem
Special Report 81-21
Source: US Army Corps of Engineers/CRREL
Keywords: Asphalt, Maintenance, Potholes
Preventive Maintenance and Surfacing Systems (DVD)
Source: International Slurry Surfacing Association
Keywords: Maintenance, Micropave, Slurry Seal, Surface Treatments
Problems Associated with Gravel Roads
FHWA-SA-98-045
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Design, Distress, Gravel, Maintenance, PMS
Recommended Practices Manual: A Guideline for Maintenance and Service of Unpaved Roads
Source: Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow River Watershed Management Authority
Keywords: Unpaved Roads
Recycling Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavements
Information Series 123
Source: NAPA
Keywords: Asphalt, Hot-Mix, Recycling
Road Surface Management for Local Governments Course Workbook
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Budgets, Design, Maintenance, Pavement
Roads That Last
GC 5042
Source: General Chemical
Keywords: Calcium Chloride, Dust Control, Road Maintenance, Stabilization
Selecting a Preventive Maintenance Treatment for Flexible Pavements
FHWA-IF-00-027
Source: USDOT FHA
Stabilization and Pavement Recycling
Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association
Keywords: Asphalt, Concrete, Recycling, Stabilization
Utility Cuts in Paved Roads: Field Guide
FHWA-SA-97-049
Source: USDOT FHA
Keywords: Compaction, Field Guide, Maintenance, Utility
Vehicle Cleaning Technology for Controlling the Spread of Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species
0551 1203-SDTDC
Source: USDA Forest Service
Keywords: Equipment, Herbicides, Invasive Species, Maintenance, Noxious Weeds
Vermont Better Backroads Pocket Guide: Clean Water You Can Afford
Source: Vermont Local Roads Program
Keywords: Low Volume Roads
