FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2019
Contact: Chris Brown
City Engineer
Engineering Division
479-575-8206
cbrown@fayetteville-ar.gov
Specially-Outfitted White Van to Drive Fayetteville Streets Surveying Roads
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— In 2018, Fayetteville City Council approved a contact with Infrastructure Management Services, LLC (IMS) to perform an inventory and analysis of the City’s street pavement and sidewalk conditions. The project requires two phases of surveying. In November, IMS technicians conducted “deflection testing” which measures the structural condition of the pavement and its ability to carry traffic loads (weight, speed, number of vehicles).
IMS technicians have returned to Fayetteville for the second phase of surveying. Residents may see a white van driving slowly on roadways citywide through mid- to late March; however, wet roads may delay the work timeline. The exterior of the van is marked with warning signs and the IMS logo in blue. Beacon lights are on top of the vehicle and survey equipment is attached to the front bumper area.
The van operates as a Laser Road Surface Tester (RST) -- measuring pavement roughness, rutting, cracking, and other surface distresses as it travels down roadways. It also collects roadway and right-of-way data through four digital video cameras mounted inside the van and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) lasers. The RST is operated by three field technicians; the van travels at 15 mph and will drive roadways at least once while surveying.
The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2019 and will result in a comprehensive pavement and sidewalk management plan. All work will be documented in the City’s GIS mapping system to enable staff to update and manage pavement and sidewalk related work. The plan and associated GIS data will provide a structured method to prioritize transportation work and help maximize the impact of transportation funding.
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