Road Upgrading in Terms of Geometric and Functional Characteristics

Abstract

The road network plays a vital role in the economy of any country and maintaining the infrastructure at a level that serves the current traffic needs is a critical element. Road maintenance directly affects road users. If it is not adequate or if it is not done in time, the damage that will occur, in a national and provincial network, may be unmanageable and will affect the increased operating costs of vehicles, delays in travel, increase in the accident index and generally reduce the reliability of transport services. When corrective interventions can no longer be postponed or cancelled, extensive restoration and reconstruction work takes place, which costs much more than the simple / preventive maintenance that can be planned and carried out in a timely manner. The protection of the existing road network is necessary and its maintenance in good condition is a dominant issue for a Management Body and often precedes as a priority even a new investment in the field of road infrastructure. This paper focuses on road network management from the point of view of upgrading and maintenance. An optimization methodology is proposed depending on the condition of the road, so that the choice of operation is optimal for the current situation. In this way, unnecessary expenses, which are brought about by the usual maintenance works, are avoided, while the street cannot serve modern traffic needs efficiently.