Lee County, Florida – Roadway Infrastructure Management

Problem Statement and Objectives

ARA has been helping Lee County advance its roadway infrastructure management data, systems, and activities for several years. In 2001, the Lee County Department of Transportation hired ARA to perform a needs assessment for a new pavement management system. The ARA team worked closely with County staff to define the County’s pavement management processes, establish goals for a new system, highlight tools and processes that typically work well for similar agencies, and identify the path forward for the County’s system implementation. The results of the evaluation allowed the County to select software tools and data collection methodologies that best met its needs. Furthermore, the needs assessment involved Lee County staff in the pavement management system implementation from the onset, thus promoting greater buy-in of the system and associated processes.

In 2006, ARA helped the County expand its asset management capabilities by creating a video log of its roadway network and using the imagery for both a pavement evaluation and an inventory of roadside assets. In addition to video imagery, ARA collected roadway profile data that were used to measure roadway rideability. The roadside asset inventory included signs and lighting, and it captured information such as asset type, asset location (geo-referenced), and other pertinent information such as MUTCD codes for signs. The asset data was uploaded into a GIS-accessible database that is maintained and updated regularly be Lee County. To support the maintenance of the asset database, ARA developed a portable computer application that allows the County staff to update asset information (e.g., sign replacement, asset maintenance) in the field and then upload the information automatically upon returning to the office.

Results and Benefits

As a result of a successful needs assessment and a series of well-executed implementation plans, Lee County has a comprehensive roadway infrastructure management system that:

• Is updated and maintained by County staff
• Is based on a commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) package from CartęGraph Systems, Inc. for the in-office part of the management system
• Incorporates customized software tools to supplement the CartęGraph system
• Contains a detailed inventory (including digital images) of roadway assets (pavements, signs, striping, markers)
• Integrates with the County’s geographic information system (GIS)
• Utilizes a simplified version of the ASTM D6430 specification for cost-effective network-level pavement condition evaluation of 2,600 centerline miles of roads

Related

• Asset Management