Developing Sustainability Framework for Decision-making in Road Maintenance

Abstract

This study develops a sustainability framework for decision-making in road maintenance, which addresses the needs for road infrastructure that promotes long-term resilience, using sustainability factors of economic, environmental, social, technical, and institutional. The usual practice for road maintenance often prioritize short-term solutions, which affects road quality. Therefore, to avoid these problems, the study developed a framework that provides a structured approach used for the evaluation and prioritization of road maintenance options, that aligns with sustainability goals of the United Nations. The study adopts both primary and secondary method for data collection, with the identification of key factors and indicators that support sustainable decision-making. Various models were identified, including Highway Development and Management (HDM-4), a powerful tool for decision-making in road maintenance. The framework was then validated through expert interviews, applied in Jeddah city, as the selected case study. Two prominent roads, King Abdulaziz Road (KAAR) and Prince Majid Road (PMR) were used for the demonstration. In addition, Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) was used, as it enables to weigh and prioritize different factors and indicators, serving as a guide to sustainable maintenance decisions. The results show that PMR having higher weighted score than KAAR, emerges as the road with more sustainable options for decision-making, meant to achieve sustainability in road maintenance. The developed framework therefore will be helpful to asset managers, engineers, road authorities and decision-makers, which will guide them to choosing the best method or alternative for sustainable road maintenance.