Patchwork roads
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A patchwork road is an informal term used to describe a road surface that contains numerous small repair patches rather than a single continuous pavement layer. The term is commonly applied where repeated pothole repairs or utility reinstatements have produced a surface with multiple discrete patch repairs. Although the expression is not used in formal engineering standards, the physical condition it refers to corresponds to the recognised pavement distress types of patching and utility-cut reinstatement in the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) system.[1]
Usage in media
[edit]In the UK, the term patchwork road has been used in a range of public communications, with some examples being:
- Highland Council opposition leader Councillor Raymond Bremner criticised "poor patchwork pothole filling" on local roads in an interview with the Inverness Courier.[2]
- A private-sector blog article advising readers on how to check local road repair schedules, the resurfacing firm Smart Surfacing Solutions described some UK roads as "more like patchwork than proper pavement".[3]
- Reporting on a BBC Freedom of Information request that revealed more than £4 million had been spent repairing over 21,000 potholes in Suffolk, the transport industry site Safer Highways noted that motorists engaged with described the results as resembling a "patchwork cushion".[4]
Relation to engineering terminology
[edit]In technical pavement surveys, the relevant distress categories are recorded as patching or utility-cut patching. These are defined in the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) methodology and standardised in ASTM D6433.[5][6]
In the United Kingdom, reinstatement work following street openings is governed by the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH).[7]
Causes
[edit]Pavements develop a patchwork appearance when repairs are carried out as small, individual reinstatements rather than by resurfacing a larger area. Activities that contribute to the development of patchwork roads include:
- excavation and reinstatement for underground utility works;[8]
- repeated pothole patching carried out over several years;
- differential settlement where reinstatement materials and compaction differ from the surrounding pavement;[9]
- deferred resurfacing caused by funding or scheduling constraints.
Documented effects
[edit]Research and agency reports have recorded the following impacts:
- Utility-cut patches may reduce ride quality (higher IRI values) even when compliant with specifications.[8][10]
- Studies commissioned by cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Austin, Kansas City, and Burlington have each reported reduced pavement service life on road sections containing utility cuts. Findings showed a 4.5-year reduction in pavement life in Phoenix, with Los Angeles reporting a drop to 16.5 years from 25 for arterial streets.[8]
- The Federal Highway Administration notes that agencies use fee-based policies to recover lifecycle impacts from utility cuts, such as pavement degradation or restoration fees. For example, San Francisco's has their "street damage restoration fee," which ranges from $1.00 per square foot ($10.8/m2) on streets 15–20 years old to $3.50 per square foot ($37.7/m2) on streets less than five years old.[11][12]
Mitigation
[edit]Responses used in pavement management include:
- resurfacing or preservation treatments applied to whole sections rather than individual patches;
- quality-controlled reinstatement in accordance with SROH or equivalent specifications;[7]
- coordination of utility works to reduce repeated cutting of the same road;[11]
- fee structures or moratoria on cutting newly resurfaced streets.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Pavement Condition Index — Best Practices for Pavement" (PDF). City and County Pavement Improvement Center. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ Glen, Louise (25 April 2021). "'Long-term fix is better than road patchwork' for potholes says SNP's Highlands Council opposition leader". Inverness Courier. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "When Will the Roads in My Area Be Fixed?". 26 November 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Suffolk Roads are 'patchwork cushion' after pothole repairs". 6 June 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "ASTM D6433-23: Standard Practice for Roads and Parking Lots Pavement Condition Index Surveys" (PDF). ASTM International. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "ASTM D6433-20: Standard Practice for Roads and Parking Lots Pavement Condition Index Surveys". ASTM International. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH), 4th ed". UK Department for Transport. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Shahin, M. (1999). The Effects of Utility Cut Patching on Pavement Life Span and Rehabilitation Costs (PDF) (Report). RJN Group for City of Santa Ana, California. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ Lu, Y.; Hajj, E. (2021). "Investigation of flexible pavement maintenance patching factors using a finite element model". Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience. 2 (1) 30. Bibcode:2021JIPR....2...30L. doi:10.1186/s43065-021-00044-z.
- ^ Utility Cut Repair Techniques—Investigation of Improved Cut Repair Methods (PDF) (Report). Institute for Transportation, Iowa State University. 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Controlling Pavement Cuts by Implementing Policy". Federal Highway Administration. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Street Damage Restoration Fee (SDRF) — manual calculation guidance". City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ A charge structure for trenching in the highway (PPR386) (PDF) (Report). Transport Research Laboratory. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2025.