Roads are used daily by multiple vehicles. They are used for safe passage from one location to another, which is why it is essential to keep roads in good condition. This can be done through road maintenance. Read about the importance of road maintenance below:
Costs
Performing maintenance is cost effective. The costs of having to repair an entire road due to poor maintenance, or lack of maintenance, is much more expensive than performing maintenance that acts as a preventative measure against major repairs. Road maintenance is also the most economical choice for a community as the lack of damage on the roads will allow safe passage to and from work, and delivery services will be able to access and leave the area.
Closures
Road maintenance will reduce the amount of road closures that occur due to road damage. A lack of road maintenance may result in an excessive number of potholes, or, in the worst case, sinkholes. Bridges may collapse and roads could become undriveable. When this occurs, roads may be closed for months on end to resolve the issue. This will cause major traffic jams and could be detrimental to businesses.
Safety
Safety is the main concern of road maintenance. If preventative measures are not taken to ensure that the roads do not reach a level where they are dilapidating, this can become a major safety hazard. Potholes, sinkholes and decaying bridges are all examples of a lack of road maintenance that could cause serious injury or even death.