Programme of Highway Works 2008/2009 (Excluding Bridge Structural Maintenance)

The following information details the proposed programme of highway improvement works to be undertaken by Wrexham County Borough Councils Streetscene and Highways division of the Environment Department during the financial year 2008/ 2009.

The programmes have been devised in support of the strategic aims of the County Borough Council to improve roads and transport.

The revenue and capital funded improvement programmes relating to carriageway and footway structural and surface treatments are prioritised from  annual condition survey data to improve the highways infrastructure within Wrexham County Borough Council.

• Highway Maintenance Capital Resurfacing Programme
• Welsh Assembly Grant (WAG) Road Maintenance Grant
• Surface Dressing Programme
• Carriageway Slurry Seal Programme
• Revenue Footway Improvement Programme
• Additional Structural Footway Improvements
• Footway Slurry Programme
• Additional Revenue Improvement Funding - Footways

Highways Asset Management Planing

In realising that the current backlog of structural maintenance on carriageways and footways can only be reduced by adopting a long term strategic approach to improving the highways infrastructure, Wrexham County Borough in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government, has adopted an all Wales approach to Highways Asset Management Planning. The following methodology explains the principles derived in prioritising planned maintenance programmes of work:-

• Mechanical and visual assessment of the carriageway and footway infrastructure on an annual basis. The information being interpreted by a computerised United Kingdom Pavement Analysis System (UKPMS) to provide an indication as to the level of deterioration of individual roads and footways.
• The output from UKPMS is then subject to an engineering analysis to provide the long term strategies for improvement which take into account corporate plans for economic and residential development, regional transport planning, community based needs and local accident statistics.
• Programmes of improvement are prepared on a priority basis with the principle of “worst first” being the general rule. 

A whole life costing approach is utilised in determining programmes for various forms of improvement processes i.e

• Structural improvement in the form of reconstruction where the level of depreciation of the asset is major. Costs associated with this form of improvement are high and it is the practise of whole life costing to introduce programmes of surface treatment at an early stage of deterioration to prolong the life of an asset to minimise the level of reconstruction works which places a large demand on available funding.
• Surface replacement or strengthening.
• Surface treatment to re-establish the texture of the surface or prolong a surface life by protecting a surface course that is exhibiting early signs of deterioration through loss of binder / aggregate.
• Re-texturing of a carriageway surface which is structurally sound but is exhibiting loss of skidding resistance through the polishing of the aggregate within the surface course.
• To maximise the cost benefit of the financial resources account has to be taken of the benefit to communities through the recognition of local economic and social areas of activity where roads of a similar level of deterioration are under consideration and resources are limited. For example a footway in proximity to a large shopping area or school may have priority over a similar footway in a rural location which has low volumes of pedestrian activity.

The following categories have been included in the list of programmed schemes to identify the factors supporting their inclusion in the programme (Reason for Work in tables below):-

A. Identified through a condition survey process

B. Identified through accident investigations as being an accident cluster site or subject to low Sideway-Force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM).

C. Subject to high maintenance remedial works

D. Route identified within condition surveys and forming part of strategic development scheme

Note

Whilst every effort has been made to achieve a definitive programme that will provide effective management of the highway assets, it may be subject to change in content and detail throughout the year. Such changes can arise from the need to address unforeseen maintenance demands arising during the year i.e emergency public utilities works and budget adjustments.