Shown below is the life cycle of a typical asphalt roadway without routine maintenance. The road stays in good condition for the first 75% of its life and then rapidly degrades, usually after about 20 years.
If the same road above receives regular maintenance the road’s life can be extended without reconstruction. Every jump in the red line below represents an improvement to the road that restores it to near its original condition. If done early, each jump can be 40 times cheaper than a complete rebuild. (To rebuild 1 block of road costs around $253,500.00. To place a protective surface such as a Microsurface on 1 block of asphalt costs $5,950.00.)