Road Maintenance Visual Guide: Introduction
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The One Network Road Classification (ONRC) was born from the opportunity for a better and more transparent way to plan and invest in maintaining and operating New Zealand’s road networks. The ONRC classifies networks across New Zealand in terms of usage, and groups Customer Outcomes as Access, Amenity, Resilience, Safety or Travel Time Reliability. This guide provides assistance with five of the performance measures; four safety measures, and one amenity measure. Each of these measures requires a sample of the network to be inspected and the level of compliance recorded. The data should be entered into the ONRC Performance Reporting Tool. This will enable consideration of the performance levels with other performance measures or outcome measures, as well as similar road networks. It is intended to provide guidance and direction for:
a. Anyone involved in managing a state highway and/or local authority roading network. b. Anyone involved in developing road maintenance contract documents and/or operational performance measures for a local authority.
The guide is not intended to cover every asset, condition or situation that may arise on the network. It is intended to be used as a guide to ensure a consistent interpretation of what is deemed acceptable, marginal and unacceptable with regards to the performance measures requiring auditing in the field. Marginal items could require further site-specific analysis. This is a living document that will be updated periodically. If you have any feedback regarding this guide, or you have photos that will help improve this guide, please feel free to contact [email protected]
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Safety (How road users experience the safety of the Journey)
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Technical Output Performance Measure 3: Sight Distances Sight distance (including hazard warning devices) are not obscured by vegetation or by unauthorised obstructions (advertising signage, etc) Measured by an inspection of 10% of the network annually; the target is 100% compliance.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Sight distance well maintained through
vegetation control Sight distance to sign slightly obscured
by overgrown vegetation, however sign still visible and legible
Slight distance to sign slightly obscured by overgrown vegetation, however
sign mainly visible and legible
Sight distance to sign obscured by overgrown vegetation
Sight distance around curve and to edge marker post obscured by
overgrown vegetation
Sight distance well maintained
through verge mowing
Reasonably long verge grass although sight distance not affected. Long
vegetation growing on sight
Long vegetation growing on sight bench affecting forward sight distance
around curve
Sight distance to sign obscured by overgrown vegetation
Sight distance to sign obscured by overgrown vegetation
Sight distance maintained through vegetation growth on sight bench
Reasonably long verge grass although sight distance not affected
Sight distance to edge marker post slightly obscured by overgrown
vegetation
Sight distance to sign obscured by overgrown vegetation
Sight distance to sign obscured by overgrown vegetation
Safety (How road users experience the safety of the Journey)
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Technical Output Performance Measure 7: Surface Faults (page 1 of 2) Number of maintenance related faults (such as rutting / depressions, shoving, potholes, corrugated length, edge break (in lane), and ponding water) that are likely to affect driver behaviour, e.g. requiring a reduction in speed or evasion Measured by an inspection of 10% (arterial and higher) or 5% (collector and access roads) of the network quarterly with the number of deficient locations recorded per 10km.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Small potholes on a straight, will not
affect driver behaviour
Isolated small pothole, unlikely to affect driver behaviour
Medium size pothole, approx. 150mm in diameter. May affect driver behaviour
Large potholes near wheel path, will affect driver behaviour
Large pothole in wheel path near curve exit. Will result in driver taking evasive
action
Small pavement deformation on a
straight, will not affect driver behaviour
Isolated pavement deformation on a straight, unlikely to affect driver
behaviour
Medium size pothole, approx. 30mm in height. May affect driver behaviour
depending on location
Large pavement deformation in high speed environment, will affect driver
behaviour
Large pavement deformation at approach to intersection, will affect
driver behaviour
Slight edge break into sealed shoulder,
will not affect driver behaviour Significant edge break, confined to sealed shoulder. Unlikely to affect
driver behaviour
Edge break encroaching into the edge line. May affect driver behaviour
Edge break encroaching into the trafficked lane. Highly likely to affect
driver behaviour
Edge break encroaching into the trafficked lane. Will affect driver
behaviour
Safety (How road users experience the safety of the Journey)
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Technical Output Performance Measure 7: Surface Faults (page 2 of 2) Number of maintenance related faults (such as rutting / depressions, shoving, potholes, corrugated length, edge break (in lane), and ponding water) that are likely to affect driver behaviour, e.g. requiring a reduction in speed or evasion
Measured by an inspection of 10% (arterial and higher) or 5% (collector and access roads) of the network quarterly with the number of deficient locations recorded per 10km.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Small potholes in low speed
environment. Highly unlikely to affect driver behaviour
Potholes in low speed environment. Unlikely to affect driver behaviour
Potholes in mid-speed environment. May affect driver behaviour
Potholes in reasonably high speed environment. Likely to affect driver
behaviour
Large potholes in high speed environment. Will affect driver
behaviour
Minor ponding water in urban (low speed) environment. Will not affect
driver behaviour
Water running across road. Unlikely to affect driver behaviour
Small area of ponding water. May affect driver behaviour depending on
location
Water ponding in wheel path in high speed area. Likely to affect driver
behaviour
Water ponding in lane at approach to intersection. Will affect driver/cyclist
behaviour
Small corrugations in low speed
environment. Highly unlikely to affect driver behaviour
Corrugations in low speed environment Unlikely to affect driver
behaviour
Corrugations in mid-speed environment. May affect driver
behaviour
Corrugations in reasonably high speed environment. Likely to affect driver
behaviour
Corrugations in high speed environment. Will affect driver
behaviour
Safety (How road users experience the safety of the Journey)
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Good Practice (not a formal performance measure): Guardrails and Barriers All traffic restraining devices such as bridge side rails, guardrails, wire rope barriers and crash cushions are maintained in an effective operating condition.
Measured by an inspection of 10% (arterial and higher) or 5% (collector and access roads) of the network quarterly, the target is 100% compliance.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Guardrail in effective operating
condition Guardrail superficially damaged but still in effective operating condition
Guardrail damaged, needs inspection to determine if in effective operating
condition
Guardrail damaged, not in effective operating condition
Guardrail significantly damaged, not in effective operating condition
Slight damage to bridge rail, still in
effective operating condition Damage to bridge rail, still in effective
operating condition Guardrail not attached to block out
post, although may still be in effective operating condition
Guardrail missing block out. Unlikely to be in effective operating condition
Guardrail damaged, not in effective operating condition
Bridge rail in effective operating
condition Damage to bridge rail, still in effective
operating condition Guardrail damaged, needs inspection to determine if in effective operating
condition
Guardrail damaged, not in effective operating condition
Bridge rail damaged, not in effective operating condition
Note – this is indicative and to be used as a guide only. Guardrails, wire rope barriers and crash cushions should be installed and maintained as per the manufacturers standards
Safety (How road users experience the safety of the Journey)
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Technical Output Performance Measure 10: Roadside Obstructions Roadside safety zones are maintained free from unauthorised obstructions and the development of new hazards
Measured by an inspection of 10% (arterial and higher) or 5% (collector and access roads) of the network quarterly, the target is 100% compliance.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Small, unauthorised signs at
intersection. May be an obstruction Sapling allowed to grow, will become
an obstruction in the future Car abandoned beside road
Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Excess aggregate left in roadside
verge. May be an obstruction Car abandoned beside road Sapling allowed to grow, will become
an obstruction in the future
Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Roadside maintained free from
obstructions Saplings allowed to grow, may become
obstructions in the future Large unauthorised sign beside road Installation of new power pole close to
road
Amenity (How road users experience the aesthetic aspects of the Journey)
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Technical Output Performance Measure 2: Aesthetic Faults No more than X defects per 5 kilometre sample length of aesthetic maintenance related faults (such as litter, damaged or non-functioning equipment or furniture, graffiti, vegetation, etc.) that are likely to detract from the customer’s experience
Measured by an inspection of the network and reported on number of defects assessed by sample length. This covers activities such as graffiti, vegetation control, rest area facilities etc. The compliance target differs by road classification.
ACCEPTABLE MARGINAL UNACCEPTABLE
Rest area furniture in good condition.
Nothing that will detract from the customer's experience
Random sticker on traffic sign. Unlikely to detract from the customer's
experience
Rest area table in good condition, however grass marginal. May detract
from the customer's experience
Graffiti on bridge end. Likely to detract from the customer's experience
Graffiti on traffic sign. Likely to detract from the customer's experience
Rest area furniture in good condition, vegetation well maintained. Nothing that will detract from the customer's
experience
Litter within road reserve, however is not visible to motorists. Will not
detract from the customer's experience
Rest area table in marginal condition, minor visible litter. May detract from
the customer's experience
Damaged rest area table. Likely to detract from the customer's experience
Graffiti on traffic sign. Likely to detract from the customer's experience
No litter, graffiti, overgrown
vegetation. Nothing that will detract from the customer's experience
Well maintained roadside landscaped area. Nothing that will detract from
the customer's experience
Minor items of litter visible to motorist. May detract from the
customer's experience
Multiple items of visible litter. Likely to detract from the customer's
experience
Multiple large items of visible litter. Will detract from the customer's
experience