Posted on: August 3, 2018

How Long Do Roads Last?

If you have ever wondered why many roads in your area commonly require construction, it’s partially because of the length of time that roads are designed to last.

Almost any type of asphalt material or tarmac requires replacement eventually. If you are in charge of road maintenance or required to provide assistance with road construction, it’s important to understand how long roads and materials are typically designed to last.

Most townships that spend time maintaining roads require ongoing maintenance records and inspection from most every road segment that they oversee. It’s usually fairly standard for those who are maintaining roads to look over segments every two years at minimum. Within two years a number of potential problems can occur such as the chance for potholes or damages.

With most roads there are averages for the total lifespan of the materials that are included in the construction.

The average life span for a sprayed seal surface is usually around 13 years on most asphalt surfaces it’s around 26 years.

This means that most types of pavement have to be resealed at least every decade to 13 years. A road will have to be almost completely rebuilt and overlaid with asphalt roughly every 35 to 39 years depending on factors like climate, materials and more.

While construction technology with asphalt and tarmac have come a long way, we still have materials with the roadways due to our dependence on heavy vehicles for trucking and a constant flow of traffic that cannot withstand more than 4 decades of use. Most people that are in charge of road construction and maintenance often have to spend time regularly resurfacing roads in a rotation that they are in control of.

While asphalt and new construction materials can last a long while, they do still require replacement. Checking on the current condition of your roadworks can be one of the best ways to improve safety and prevent extensive maintenance costs.