The story of the American roadway is closely tied to settlement, commerce, and national growth. Long before asphalt and concrete shaped the landscape, early paths followed the natural contours of the land. Over centuries, these informal routes evolved into engineered transportation corridors designe…continue
Daily activity tracking is one of the most fundamental parts of running a road or public works department, yet it’s also one of the hardest to keep organized. Paper sheets get lost. Notes get rushed. Details get forgotten. When you look back six months later, it can be difficult to reconstruct…continue
Because "I just know" isn’t a budget strategy. Every highway superintendent or public works director has faced that awkward moment in a budget meeting, sitting across from the board, being told to “justify” why you need another $100,000 for paving, or a new truck, or an e…continue
Across the country, many public works superintendents still choose their annual paving lists using a method that’s as informal as it is risky: they simply “know” which roads look bad and need work. While decades of experience have value, this approach, often referred to as paving b…continue
When a subdivision, commercial park, or other private development turns public improvements, streets, sidewalks, water and storm-sewer lines, over to the municipality, the job isn't truly “finished.” Most cities and towns require the developer to post a maintenance bond (sometimes ca…continue
How highway departments objectively measure roadway health, and turn numbers into smarter maintenance decisions What the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) actually is The Pavement Condition Index is a numerical score (0–100) that expresses the structural and functional health of an asphalt or con…continue
Managing a highway department on a limited municipal budget is a balancing act. Every dollar counts, and even small mistakes can ripple across your entire fiscal year. Whether you’re a seasoned superintendent or newly appointed, recognizing these common budget pitfalls can help your department…continue
Before your crew drops the blade, rolls out the compactor, or breaks ground on that drainage fix, it’s critical to ask one key question: Are we within the town’s legal right-of-way (ROW)? Too often, highway departments rely on outdated assumptions or tax maps to determine where their leg…continue
How to Estimate Hot Mix Asphalt for Road Paving For Highway Superintendents Shortcut to our hot mix calculator Accurately estimating how much hot mix asphalt (HMA) you’ll need to pave a section of road is key to staying on budget, reducing waste, and keeping your crew productive. Fortunately, …continue
If you're running a highway department, your job doesn’t stop at potholes, plow routes, and public complaints. It also includes a less glamorous, but absolutely critical, task: keeping a close eye on your budget. And not just at year-end or when you need to request more funding. We’r…continue
In highway maintenance and construction, digging is routine, but it should never be done without first contacting Dig Safe or your local "Call Before You Dig" service. Whether you’re replacing a culvert, installing a new signpost, or trenching for drainage improvements, underground u…continue
Running a highway department without written policies is like building a road without a blueprint. Eventually, you will hit potholes. A clear set of written policies provides structure, consistency, and legal protection for both the department and the municipality it serves. Yet, too many highway de…continue
When it comes to assessing road conditions, municipalities often turn to two main approaches: Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and Surface Condition Ratings. Both offer useful insights, but they serve different purposes and vary in complexity, time, and cost. Here's a breakdown to help you choose …continue
As a highway superintendent, managing your department’s workload is a balancing act between limited resources, urgent needs, and long-term planning. With miles of roadway, countless infrastructure assets, and ever-changing weather conditions, knowing what to tackle first can feel overwhelming.…continue
When it comes to managing your town’s roads, signs, drainage systems, and other infrastructure, you know what matters: keeping things in good condition, knowing what needs attention, and staying organized. That’s where asset management software comes in. But for many highway departments,…continue
If you’ve ever driven down a bumpy road and thought, “Wow, someone really needs to fix this,” you’ve had a firsthand experience with pavement condition, though maybe not in technical terms. That’s where the Pavement Condition Index, or PCI, comes into play. It’s t…continue
Not every road sees rush hour traffic or endless lines of commuters. Some roads quietly wind through the countryside, connecting farms, homes, and small towns. These low-traffic rural roads might not grab headlines, but they play a vital role in the daily lives of the people who depend on them. Main…continue
Selecting the right asset management software can be the difference between a well-run highway department and one that constantly struggles with inefficiencies, lost records, and reactive maintenance. But with so many software options available, ranging from simple platforms to enterprise-level syst…continue
For years, highway departments have relied on handwritten logs, memory, and word-of-mouth to track maintenance work. But as roads age, crews rotate, and infrastructure grows more complex, it becomes harder to keep track of what was done, when, where, and why. That’s where asset management soft…continue
Stormwater infrastructure is one of the most overlooked yet essential components of a municipality’s public works inventory. Culverts, catch basins, dry wells, and swales might not make headlines, but they quietly prevent flooding, protect roads, and keep pollution out of local waterways. And …continue
When you think of asset management for a highway department, you might picture complicated spreadsheets, satellite maps, or tech-heavy systems. But at its core, asset management is really just about knowing what you have, understanding what condition it’s in, and planning what to do about it. …continue
Chip sealing, also known as tar and chip or seal coating, is a widely used method for maintaining and preserving road surfaces. It involves applying a layer of liquid asphalt to the existing pavement, followed by a layer of crushed stone that is rolled into place. While chip sealing can be a cost-ef…continue
As a highway superintendent, one of your most important responsibilities is maintaining the quality and safety of your community’s road network. But how do you objectively measure the condition of your roads, prioritize repairs, and defend your budget requests with solid data? That’s whe…continue
Highway departments play a critical role in the safety, efficiency, and upkeep of our communities. But in too many cases, particularly in small towns, the methods used to maintain roads, drainage systems, signage, and other infrastructure have gone unchanged for decades. The phrase “we’v…continue
Every year, municipalities are required to submit updates to their local road inventory to the state - and for good reason. While it may feel like a mundane paperwork task, this inventory plays a vital role in everything from road funding to infrastructure planning, at both the state and federal lev…continue
Sure, we’re often told to “play nice” with the Town Board, keep things smooth, don’t make waves, go along to get along. After all, they do control the budget, and we get it: without funding, nothing gets done. But here’s the thing - highway superintendents aren’t …continue
Each year, as your fiscal calendar’s winding down, and you’ve got a little bit of budget left over. While it might be tempting to sit on it or scramble to spend it last minute, there’s a smarter way to handle that year-end balance: use it to stock up on the essentials you know you&…continue
If you’ve ever walked down the street after a good rain and noticed all that water disappearing into a grate on the side of the road, congrats—you’ve seen an MS4 in action. MS4 stands for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, and while it might not sound exciting, it plays a big r…continue
Let’s be real for a second: running a highway department without some kind of organized system is like trying to fix a car without a toolbox. You can do it, but it’s going to be a whole lot harder than it needs to be—and you’re definitely going to lose track of where the 10mm…continue
Municipal stormwater management is a crucial aspect of urban planning, ensuring that rainwater and runoff are effectively controlled to prevent flooding, erosion, and water pollution. One of the methods employed in stormwater management is the use of drywells. These underground structures help manag…continue
Efficient highway management requires meticulous record-keeping on various assets that contribute to the safety, functionality, and longevity of road infrastructure. A well-maintained asset database allows highway departments to plan maintenance schedules, allocate budgets effectively, and ensure pu…continue
Highway superintendents play a critical role in maintaining and improving road infrastructure, ensuring the safety and efficiency of transportation networks. As road construction technologies, materials, and regulations continue to evolve, ongoing education is essential for highway superintendents t…continue
Proper stormwater drainage is a crucial factor in maintaining the longevity and stability of paved roads. When water is not effectively managed, it can lead to a range of structural problems, increasing maintenance costs and reducing the lifespan of the pavement. In this article, we’ll explore…continue
For small highway departments, managing road, sign, drainage, and signal assets can feel overwhelming, especially when you're short on staff, time, and budget. Yet without a reliable system to track the condition and maintenance history of your infrastructure, your department is flying blind. Th…continue
Ensuring the safety of road users is a top priority for transportation planners and engineers. One effective tool to achieve this is the road safety audit (RSA), a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating safety risks on existing or planned roadways. RSAs play a crucial role in minimizing ac…continue
In the realm of transportation infrastructure management, highway departments serve as stewards of vital road networks that connect communities, facilitate commerce, and ensure mobility for millions of people. At the heart of efficient and effective highway management lies comprehensive record keepi…continue
Roadwurx is always growing and evolving. Here is the current complete feature set for our highway department software. Reach out to us if you have an questions or ideas on how we can improve. Roads You have the ability to store all of the following data for every road you add to your database: Road …continue