London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Road Network Development & Management

Road Network Development & Management

Road network development, management, operations, and use are a process that entails planning, programming, budgeting, design, construction/inspection, maintenance and repair, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Roads are essential for effectively, efficiently, and safely moving goods and people.

They drive growth and development and are a vital indicator of a country’s quality of life and standard of living, connecting urban, suburban, and rural areas in the community.

The Virgin Islands (VI) (British) road network needs improvements in planning, programming, layout, design, construction, maintenance, and repair to deliver these expectations and functions effectively. Modifications are required to meet domestic transportation needs and for economic competitiveness.

Road Classifications and Types


The four major road classifications are a) highways, b) arterials, c) collectors, and b) locals. The VI roads are primarily collectors and locals and are multi-use. Consequently, engineers should design them to carry the heaviest wheel load that will potentially use them consistently. Typically, there are three types of roads: concrete (rigid pavement), asphalt (flexible pavement), and dirt. Generally, asphalt pavement is less costly to construct but more expensive to maintain; concrete, more expensive to build but cheaper to maintain.

Return on Road Investment/Value for Money


VI residents are dissatisfied with the serviceability of the territory’s roads. They frequently vent about the quality, feeling that they are not getting value for the tens of millions invested on roads. Roads are in a relatively poor to moderate state with a short lifecycle. The short network life cycle is attributable to several factors: design, construction, maintenance, and repair. Moreover, poor drainage is a contributing cause of rapid road deterioration.

Drainage


Road design, construction, and maintenance are major contributing factors to poor drainage. Roads seem to experience flooding even with frequent recurring rain events, i.e., 2-, 5-, 10-year, etc. Consequently, to prevent or minimize flooding, the Public Works Department (PWD) needs to take the following actions, a) elevate/build-up road base, b) put a crown on the roads, c) design and construct proper cross slopes, d) construct roadside ditches, curb and gutter, catch water drains and cross drains and e) and ensure roads are constructed/inspected, maintained and repaired consistent with design criteria, removing runoff from roads and preventing ponding. Ponding results in water infiltration into the top layer, base, subbase, subgrade, resulting in standing water, birdbaths, etc.

Ponding results in potholes and other related deteriorations that adversely impact the serviceability of roads, i.e., a) increased maintenance and repair cost, b) increased driving hazards, c) shortened lifecycles, d) increased vehicle owners operating cost, e) increased probability of accidents, f) increased insurance cost, g) traffic issues, and h) increased road reconstruction cost. Drainage lines, pipe culverts, box culverts, curb and gutter, manholes, etc., must be adequately sized, installed, and maintained. Further, engineers need to pay special attention to hill road alignments, viz, slope stability, geometry, drainage, i.e., roadside, catch water, and cross drains drainage.

Moreover, poor drainage contributes to flooding, resulting in property damages. Drainage systems must be frequently inspected, especially after heavy rains; a robust maintenance program must be developed and consistently executed. A menace and vexing issue for many VI residents is potholes. PWD should develop and launch pothole patrol crews to arrest this problem.

Design Lifecycle and Construction


Designers typically design roads with an estimated lifecycle, i.e., 10-, 20-, or 30-year. For the streets to attain or closely approach these lifecycles, they require routine, periodic, and other maintenance, i.e., crack sealing, skin patches, pothole repairs, minor full-depth repairs, etc.

The following is a typical periodic maintenance schedule for an asphalt 20-year design life street. An asphalt road typically has three layers: the subgrade bottom layer, the base layer, and the surface layer. Continuing, at the 7-year mark, a seal coat is applied (additional coat on the existing surface). At the 15-year mark, an overlay is applied (top surface milled and replaced with a new topcoat). And finally, at the 20-year mark, the road is completely reconstructed. PWD should periodically assess and analyze the condition of all roads, using one of the existing tools to determine the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and plan of action. PCI is a numerical index ranging between 0 and 100 that is employed to determine the general condition of the road. Typically, a PCI of 100 indicates a road in good condition; 0, a road in an ultimately failed condition; a PCI of 40 or less, poor condition; PCI of 20 or less, failed state.

Moreover, it is essential to note that the proper fix for a failed road is reconstruction. Seal coating or overlaying is not a reconstruction of a road. Placing a seal coat or overlay over a failed road at best only provides temporary relief. The nice shiny surface is only a mirage, for, in short order, the symptoms of a failed road will soon resurface.

Road Cuts


The frequent cutting of roads weakens and shortens their lifecycles. And it seems that no sooner than when PWD completes a road project, the road is cut into. PWD should publish a 5- or 10-year road construction/reconstruction schedule to prevent or minimize road cuts so that water, sewage, electricity, and telecommunications can plan and coordinate their major projects consistent with the PWD schedule. Additionally, PWD should require permits for all street cuts. Moreover, road cuts weaken and shorten road life. Therefore, PWD should assess a fee for repairing street cuts; the newer the road, the higher the fee.

Road Network Layout


The road network layout is neither ideal nor friendly. For the most part, the road layout followed previous alignments. Save for Anegada, which is flat, consisting of coral and limestone, all the other islands in the VI chain are of volcanic origin and steep/hilly. And there are several steep terrain roads in the territory, e.g., Tortola, the largest island. Vehicles ascending and descending steep terrain can face and experience hazardous conditions.

Consequently, roads in hilly terrain are constructed in a circular pattern to moderate the steepness to facilitate more stable and safer roads and comfortable travel. Circular hill roads are longer but are safer and reduce the wear and tear on vehicles. However, following previous road alignments and lack of land availability and access, realigning the network layout will be challenging and require land purchases, land swaps, right-of-way, allocations, easements, and eminent domain (controversial last resort).

Further, the VI can benchmark how other hilly terrain countries construct hill roads. For example, some used hairpin turns (switchbacks), viz, Saint Gotthard Pass in Switzerland, Aristi-Pagingo in Greece, Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii, Sierra da Leba in Angola, SC-438 in Brazil, Jacob’s Ladder in Tasmania, Zig Zag Hill in Dorset, England and Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps. And as a part of the road capital improvement program (CIP), a rank priority order list of road projects, a road consultant engineer or firm may need to be hired to assess and analyze the network layout and provide improvement recommendations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×