Pavement preservation is a hot topic around the country. With nearly 4 million paved roads in America, pavement represents a $1.75 trillion investment—an investment which is in a constant state of deterioration from the neverending assault of asphalt enemies, such as rain, debris, sunshine, and plain old wear and tear.
In days of yesteryear, the maintenance of roads across the country was haphazard at best. Delays or total dismissal of routine care, such as filling cracks, sealing, and performing timely overlays caused the condition of roadways to deteriorate at a faster pace, often necessitating major redos when the situation became too far gone.
Between 1995 and 2005 an effort was made towards more fully educating government entities and private stakeholders on the theories of pavement preservation. This general trend could be summed up nicely in the mantra, “Right Road, Right Treatment, Right Time.” This initiative traveled throughout the country, leading to a significantly more mindful approach towards protecting the miles upon miles of asphalt assets. In the years that have followed we continue to see incredible advancements in how roads are maintained. The sophistication of ability to assess and treat road issues as they happen has grown exponentially.
While you might not be concerned with the day-to-day upkeep on the hundreds of miles of asphalt roads ribboning throughout our great state, you can apply the concepts of pavement preservation to your own property’s surfaces. It’s simple to enhance the condition and extend the life of your asphalt by following a few of the main principles:
Map Out a Plan
It’s never too late to plan for the next decade in the life of your asphalt investments. Although certain elements can affect the condition as the months and years wear on, there’s a pretty recognizable cycle to the deterioration and best practices to follow in order to intervene. Are you familiar with the life cycle of your pavement? We have a comprehensive article that will provide you with an easy reference. https://www.blackdiamondpaving.com/resources/the-pavement-life-cycle/
Don’t Delay on Maintenance
Once you have a plan in place, follow it scrupulously and proactively. Putting off till tomorrow what ought to be done today never fails to cost you more in the long run. Attending to sealcoating, crack sealing, and patch repairs are just a few things that will pay big rewards if they are done in a timely manner. You can do things on your own as well, such as keeping the surface free of debris, chemicals, and fluids, which can cause significant damage if left to their own devices.
Find a Good Partner
If taken care of, your pavement will last decades. Pairing up with a professional ensures you get good advice, best practice solutions, high quality materials, and appropriate attention to what needs to be done and when.
Black Diamond happily provides all of the above. We’d love to be your partner in pavement preservation. Our seasoned professionals will aid you in coming up with a plan and implementing it throughout each step of your pavement’s life cycle. We’re Diamond Certified and have received the Highest in Quality rating for 12 consecutive years. And 97% of our customers say they’d work with us again. What more could you ask for in a paving partner? Give us a call today!
