Estimation of Pavement Damage Cost for Establishing Equitable Road Use Fee for Commercial Vehicles An Exploratory Empirical Analysis

Abstract

Due to higher user expectations and growing travel demand, highway agencies around the globe continue to face ever-greater needs for funding the maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction (MR&R) of their highway infrastructure. Highway agencies strive to charge road use fees that are based on actual share of infrastructure damage occasioned by different vehicle classes. Current road user charges (highway toll) for commercial vehicles in Pakistan are based on expert opinion, thus completely disregarding equity impacts. Present study used a rational framework by incorporating the actual maintenance strategies used by national highway authority (NHA) for estimation of pavement damage cost. MR&R strategies (treatment types and timings) were formulated using twenty-five year life-cycle length and standard maintenance and rehabilitation treatments used by highway agency. Marginal pavement damage cost (MPDC) for unit traffic loading was estimated by relating the highway agency pavement MR&R expenditure to the level of pavement loading. MPDC for national highway system (NHS) was estimated to be Rs. 0.395 (2014 constant Rupees) per ESAL-km. Present study also compared the road use fee based on MPDC with existing toll fee for major truck classes. The sensitivity of MPDC with respect to the pavement life-cycle length and interest rate was evaluated. Also, the impact of the accuracy of estimating the pavement reconstruction and rehabilitation treatment cost on MPDC estimates was investigated. A general comparison of individual axle load limits of Pakistan with selected countries was also carried out. The framework developed in this thesis can be used by NHA for carrying out a detailed study at national level to establish or update road user charges (toll rates) for both national and non-national highway networks.