How Smart Road Planning Extends Asset Lifecycle
CRH highlights a shift in road infrastructure investment from short-term expansion to long-term performance-based strategies, emphasizing durability, cost efficiency, and data-driven planning to address growing demand and deterioration.
For decades, road investment success was measured by construction speed and lane miles, but CRH Americas Materials President Jason Jackson notes a shift toward long-term performance. Transportation leaders now prioritize resilient construction and lifecycle value over rapid expansion, as roads designed for durability reduce disruptions and repair costs over time. Municipalities increasingly rely on performance management and data to set targets and allocate resources, moving beyond annual paving targets to focus on sustained pavement performance and total cost of ownership.
The American Society of Civil Engineering’s assessments reveal a widening gap between current road conditions and future demands, driven by higher traffic volumes, freight intensity, and extreme weather. New mix designs, advanced data analytics, and smarter maintenance strategies are helping municipalities close this gap. CRH supports this approach by offering end-to-end paving solutions, from material selection to ongoing maintenance, ensuring roads are built to last with intentional innovation and long-term value in mind.
A Wyoming emergency bypass project demonstrated CRH’s integrated approach, where overlapping design, engineering, and construction phases restored a critical highway in under 15 days after a landslide. This method highlights the benefits of holistic planning, particularly when roads are designed alongside utilities like stormwater drainage, energy, and telecommunications. Such strategies enable municipalities to sequence investments intelligently, minimize community disruption, and maximize the value of every dollar spent on infrastructure.
With traffic volumes, freight loads, and weather volatility expected to intensify, the BUILD America 250 Act proposes a five-year strategic investment plan for highways, bridges, transit, and rail. CRH’s recent projects, including a $210 million reconstruction of 24 miles of Interstate 69 in Michigan and partnerships like Texas Materials’ work in Dallas, underscore the industry’s commitment to performance-driven, resilient infrastructure ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.