1. City of Houston Street Surface Assessment Vehicle
Presented to the Flooding & Drainage Committee
Eric K. Dargan – Deputy Director

2. Pavement Assessments for Roadways in the City of Houston
Pavement Condition Rating (PCR)
Usage of PCR scores
IMMP (Infrastructure Maintenance Management Program)
In order to assess the condition of a roadway section, various pieces of data are gathered to generate one overall PCR (Pavement Condition Rating) score for the specified area.
The goal of this data collection is to provide a clear understanding of where the City is concerning the condition of its streets and take that data to guide maintenance/project decisions.
The City previously conducted a pavement assessment from through the IMMP (Infrastructure Maintenance Management Program).

3. Typical Roadway Problems
RUTTING
ALLIGATOR CRACKING
RAVELLING
TRANSVERSE CRACKING

4. Typical Roadway Problems
LONGITUDINAL CRACKING
CONCRETE CRACKS
JOINT SEAL
SLAB REPLACEMENT

5. IMMP IMMP program – Evaluated by individuals IMMP PCR Score Factors:
Rutting
Raveling
Alligator Cracking
Transverse Cracking
Longitudinal Cracking
Joint Seal Present
Patching
Flushing
Surface Deterioration
Faulting
Slab cracking*
Slab Replacements*
Ride Condition
(*concrete only)
The IMMP program relied heavily on human judgment for a PCR creation. A PCR score was generated by quantifying cracking and assessing the overall ride condition by a specific person. To assess the road surface, an individual would travel the street and photograph it. Timeliness, score consistency and safety were concerns. The range identified in the IMMP data varied depending on the evaluator. Actual scores ranged from 0 – 100.
If any of these above were present then to what degree had to be determined, Slight, Moderate, and Extreme were the parameters to input into each of these above if there was any present. A score was generated off of this data entry. For example, if none of the above criteria was found at a street, NA was put into all the blanks and a 100 score was achieved. A very low score was generated if extreme was inputted for every piece of criteria.

6. Overview of the Street Surface Assessment Vehicle (SSAV)
Procured from Idea Integration, Inc. in August 2008
Data testing began July 2009
Full production began May 2010
Assessments are anticipated to occur every 2-3 years
Estimated 5-year system life = 3 Assessments
The Street Surface Assessment Vehicle (SSAV) was acquired by the City from Idea Integration, Inc. in August 2008 for $1.2 million to collect data, images and video of the pavement in the area where it is traveling.
The operation of this vehicle requires a minimum of two persons, one to drive and one to operate and monitor the computer systems collecting the data. Typically, three people are in the van to rotate duties and to assist with data collection and navigation. There is also on project coordinator and one data processor separate from the field ops.
The data collected was originally designed to guide maintenance decisions regarding the roadways of the City as well as for federal reporting requirements (GASB 34 fixed asset reporting/depreciation)
How much does the total assessment cost???

7. Assessment Costs Contract rate per assessment - $1.7M (no video)
PWE Annual Total Operational Cost - $590k (includes video collection)
3 Assessments over 5 years = $5.21M contract cost vs. $2.95M internal costs
Possible future partnerships with other area agencies may recoup some costs
The Street Surface Assessment Vehicle (SSAV) was acquired by the City from Idea Integration, Inc. in August 2008 for $1.2 million to collect data, images and video of the pavement in the area where it is traveling.
The operation of this vehicle requires a minimum of two persons, one to drive and one to operate and monitor the computer systems collecting the data. Typically, three people are in the van to rotate duties and to assist with data collection and navigation. There is also on project coordinator and one data processor separate from the field ops.
The data collected was originally designed to guide maintenance decisions regarding the roadways of the City as well as for federal reporting requirements (GASB 34 fixed asset reporting/depreciation)
How much does the total assessment cost???

8. Technical Components of the Street Surface Assessment Vehicle
CrackScope
360 degree camera
GPS Unit
The following systems are onboard the vehicle:
Road Profiler: The Road Profiler is mounted on the front bumper of the vehicle. It contains three lasers and two accelerometers that are used to capture both the roughness (IRI) and the rutting of the road.
Line Scan Camera System(CrackScope): The vehicle is outfitted above the back end with a line-scan camera system called CrackScope. It takes high-resolution images that are analyzed by post processing software to automatically detect the severity & extent of cracking on the pavement.
360° Video: A camera ball with 11 cameras taking 30 frames per second is mounted on a mechanical arm that extends above the van. The video produced allows the user to pan in all directions while viewing the right-of-way. This is similar to the Google Street View technology.
GPS and DMI Devices: The vehicle is also equipped with a Trimble GPS receiver and a DMI (Distance Measurement Instrument) device. The data from these instruments is used in post processing to tie components together and calculate the position of the vehicle.
Distance Measuring Instrument
Road Profiler

9. SSAV Capabilities Assesses asphalt/concrete roads in clear weather
Measures distance traveled only (center-line miles)
Does not currently identify or “asset tag” any items
Program relies on machines and specific software to create a more consistent PCR score
For a road section, 100 is the starting value. Three reductions bring the PCR to its final number.
IRI or ‘roughness’ deduction
Rutting deduction
Cracking deduction
The SSAV program relies on machines and specific software to create a PCR score. A score is generated by driving the vehicle over a specified area of street. The instruments on the van assess the road surface condition and generates a score. This provides for a safer and more consistent means of calculating a PCR score. In looking at the data so far, scores have ranged from 38 to 100.
What is IRI? International Roughness Index – The standard road roughness index for evaluating street conditions
Potholes do not have any effect on the PCR score; the number is gathered manually by field personnel.

10. What Happens Next? Upcoming Completion Schedule
11/30/2010 – 56%
12/31/2010 – 62%
03/30/2011 – 82%
06/30/2011 – 100%
Video capture is being used for identification of key items
Actual completion time depends on the ability for the van to be on the road
By Dec. 31, 2010, we are currently tracking to be 62% complete with all COH roads. On March 30, 2011, we are estimating to be 82% complete with all COH roads. On June 30, 2011, we believe we will be 100% complete with the City roadway system.
Completion of an area includes the PCR score, as well as manually identifying whether the street is curb and gutter or open ditch, and if a sidewalk is present at the location. The decision to track that data was made midway through the production process. As a result, video is being used for those areas prior to the decision being made. Field observations are ongoing for areas that have been done since the decision. There is currently no automated feature to collect this data.
Actual completion time depends on the ability for the van to be on the road. Unforeseen delays such as vehicle trouble, loss of work days, staffing issues, weather, or other technical issues could delay the schedule as outlined.

11. How Will We Use This Data?
To guide and expand maintenance programs
Overlay program
Concrete repairs
Primary factor for development and scheduling capital projects for streets
The PCR score is not the only factor that will drive project selection. Other factors affecting the prioritization of future projects will include partnership funding, land acquisition issues, mobility/transportation issues, emergency response concerns, other infrastructure needs in the area, as well as other factors yet to be determined.
These future capital projects identified may be funded via the Street & Drainage Fund. This fund will include fees collected as a result of the Renew Houston initiative that passed in November 2010.
Projects utilizing those dedicated funds would not begin until the program builds up an adequate fund balance. As a result, it is estimated that projects funded through those fees would not begin until FY2016.

12. Council Districts & SSAV Data
TOTAL SSAV MILES COMPLETE A
413 B
533 C
178 D
346 E
724 F 52 G
208 H
656 I
471

13. 20 Worst Scored Thoroughfare Street Sections in the City
Key Map
Council District
Street Name
From Block
To Block
Potholes Observed
Overall PCR Score
Miles Driven
492M G
SHEPHERD DR
300
1399 52
50.607
0.503
453P, T, X H
AIRLINE DR
1700
2999 76
50.63
1.821
535F, K I
BROADWAY ST
1900
2699 31
50.71
1.044
494N
SAMPSON ST
100
1099 37
52.06
0.606
493L
PRAIRIE ST
700
1299 4
53.26
0.27
N SAMPSON ST 1
299 22
53.46
0.278
576K,L,P E
S SHAVER ST
4900
4905 27
54.07
1.062
493V, U
DOWLING ST
1950
2599 49
54.2
0.61
452X A
ELLA BLVD
1999 16
54.26
0.317
493H, 494H B
LORRAINE ST
2000
2849 15
54.41
0.349
494C, D
B, H
WALLISVILLE RD
5600
6499 70
54.58
1.225
533D D
CULLEN BLVD
3534
3899 56
54.82
0.63
492Y
S SHEPHERD DR
3600
3999 5
55.12
0.28
532K, P C
BUFFALO SPDWY
7900
9499 29
55.13
1.767
532K,L,N,P
S BRAESWOOD BLVD
2490
4199
144
55.2
3.424
493T, X
D, I
ALABAMA ST
900
1499
55.59
0.803
534L
S WAYSIDE DR
3800
4999
55.76
0.55
493J
W DALLAS ST
2400
2909 6
55.98
0.258
616B
HUGHES RD
10418
11175 11
1.391
453Z, 454W
COLLINGSWORTH ST
2799 18
56.86
0.048
The data collected is kept in a database so that overall street conditions can be viewed and compared citywide. Data is added daily when the van is operating. Published results of the data are updated in several formats monthly. This allows for the public to view data that is up to date and accurate.

14. Questions?