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PROGRESS REPORT OF THE PROJECT COMMITTEE ON MAINTENANCE COSTS, HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD

THE 1.3 BILLION DOLLAR 1949 MAINTENANCE BILL AMOUNTS TO 38 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REVENUE FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES OF 3.5 BILLION DOLLARS. DURING THE 1935-39 PERIOD MAINTENANCE REQUIRED ONLY 585 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR, 24 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL RECEIPTS OF 2.4 BILLION DOLLARS. THE VAST INCREASE IN THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND, AS IS MORE IMPORTANT, THE LARGE RISE IN THE PORTION OF THE AVAILABLE HIGHWAY DOLLAR REQUIRED FOR MAINTENANCE PURPOSES HAS HAD THE EFFECT OF REDUCING THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION. THE RISE IN THE MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE ON OUR HIGHWAYS, ROADS AND STREETS, PARTICULARLY THE 126 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE ON THE STATE HIGHWAYS AND THE 132 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE ON THE LOCAL RURAL ROADS, IS, OF COURSE, DUE IN PART TO THE RISE IN THE GENERAL PRICE LEVEL. THE UNIT OF WORK THAT COST $418 DURING THE 1935-39 PERIOD COST $815 IN 1950. THE COST OF LABOR HAS RISEN MUCH MORE THAN THE COST OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF MAINTENANCE AND YET ONE-HALF OF MAINTENANCE, AS REFLECTED BY DOLLAR EXPENDITURES, STILL GOES TO LABOR. THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF MAINTENANCE, THEREFORE, IS THE CONSERVATION OF THIS HIGH-COST LABOR ITEM. ONE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS IS THE DETERIORATION OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE YEARS 1941 TO 1946 WHEN CONSTRUCTION WAS CURTAILED DUE TO MATERIAL SHORTAGES. IT IS ALSO KNOWN THAT THE COST OF MAINTENANCE WILL RISE AS TRAFFIC INCREASES ON THE SECTIONS BEING MAINTAINED. STATES WITH HIGHWAY SYSTEMS CARRYING OVER 2,000 VEHICLES PER DAY ARE EXPENDING 5 1/2 TIMES AS MUCH PER MILE FOR MAINTENANCE AS STATES HAVING SYSTEMS WHICH CARRY LESS THAN 500 VEHICLES PER DAY. VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF OUR HIGHWAY INDUSTRY ARE OBSERVING WITH CONCERN THE RISING MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURES AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE HIGHWAY PROGRAM. SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE SECURED IF THESE INTERESTS WOULD JOIN IN A COMMON EFFORT TO DEVELOP UNIFORM MAINTENANCE COST ANALYSIS STANDARDS. THE USE OF SUCH UNIFORM STANDARDS WOULD FOCUS ATTENTION TO, AND PERMIT THE READY SELECTION OF, MOST ECONOMIC MAINTENANCE METHODS COUPLED WITH DURABLE RESULTS.

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Tables;
  • Pagination: PP 25-33
  • Monograph Title: Maintenance costs
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00218903
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, ATRI
  • Created Date: Jun 28 1972 12:00AM