Further guidance on assessment

Introduction

Further to the standard assessment criteria, Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways) should consider the following factors to support the assessment of road maintenance programmes.

Division for assessment

A road operations, maintenance and renewal programme will be divided into the following components for assessment purposes:

• Network security and resilience The ability of the network to withstand, or recover quickly after a disruption. The availability and restoration of each facility when there is a weather or emergency event, whether there is an alternative route available and the road user information provided.  This can be measured through the number of journeys impacted by unplanned events, or acceptable risk where there is no viable alternative access should it be closed by an unplanned event. (Emergency works, Structures maintenance, Structures component replacement, Rail level crossing warning devices).
• Optimum use (Operational traffic management Activities/devices that facilitate management of the road network , Traffic services maintenance, Traffic service renewals).
• Pavement renewals to minimise lifecycle costs (Sealed road pavement The road structure that is constructed on the subgrade and supports the traffic loading. rehabilitation, Sealed road resurfacing).
• Measures to extend asset life and/or minimise lifecycle costs (Preventive maintenance, Drainage maintenance, Drainage renewals).
• Measures to maintain agreed levels of service (Sealed pavement The road structure that is constructed on the subgrade and supports the traffic loading. maintenance, Unsealed pavement maintenance, Unsealed road metalling).
• Associated improvements for network security Network security means the elimination of risks or effects of a disruption. or resilience The ability of the network to withstand, or recover quickly after a disruption. The availability and restoration of each facility when there is a weather or emergency event, whether there is an alternative route available and the road user information provided.  This can be measured through the number of journeys impacted by unplanned events, or acceptable risk where there is no viable alternative access should it be closed by an unplanned event. .
• Network management (Network and asset management, Property management).
• Environmental effects (Cycle path A separately formed path designed specifically for the use of cycles, to which motor vehicles do not have access. maintenance, Environmental maintenance, Environmental renewals).
• Remaining components of the road operations, maintenance and renewals programme.

Inputs to assessment

The Transport Agency will use the following information when assessing requests for road maintenance programmes:

• the Approved Organisation’s and the Transport Agency's (state highways) submission for operations, maintenance and renewals funding, including supporting information
• the programme of work as recommended in the Approved Organisation’s and the Transport Agency's (state highways) road activity/ Asset Management Plan Refer to Activity Management Plan. National Asset Management Steering (NAMS) Group defines asset management plans as
  
  * A plan developed for the management of one or more infrastructure assets that combines multi-disciplinary management techniques (including technical and financial) over the lifecycle of the asset in the most cost effective manner to provide a specific level of service.
  * The NZTA considers assets exist to support service delivery, and so refers in all instances to Activity management planning which encompasses the outcome focus of a transportation network, not just the asset.
• targeted levels of service in accordance with the Transport Agency's Maintenance guidelines for local roads or as otherwise agreed with the Transport Agency
• the Approved Organisation’s Long Term Plan, or equivalent 10-year plan, and any relevant Annual Plan
• recommendations from an accepted treatment selection algorithm and/or pavement The road structure that is constructed on the subgrade and supports the traffic loading. deterioration model
• evidence of periodic condition monitoring and traffic counting processes
• maintenance activity/cost information held in RAMM

Inputs to assessment, continued

• trends in network condition, including from physical inspections
• benchmarking Benchmarking is undertaken when the NZTA makes comparisons against similar regions and the national average. A lack of information supporting differences from regional and national averages may result in changes to the efficiency rating for public transport or maintenance programme or a requirement for a study as a condition of investment approval. Trends in these measures over time are used rather than just annual values. comparisons with other Approved Organisations and the Transport Agency (state highways)
• contractual arrangements
• previous levels of expenditure
• movement in relevant cost indexes, and
• findings from technical audit reports.

Marginal changes

Consideration must be given as to how the strategic fit, effectiveness and efficiency rating would change with refocusing of activities at the margin.

References

Information on the assessment and prioritisation can be found in the Investment Assessment Framework