No, our intention isn’t to scare you with horror stories of sink holes swallowing cars! As someone responsible for a commercial property, we thought you might like to gather more information, or maybe this is just a refresher for you. Either way, please read on for some insightful information, a few tips, and yes there will also be some worse case scenarios just to keep pavement maintenance top of your mind the next time you walk the property for a review.

What is a Pavement Maintenance Program?

Well, it’s no different than a personal fitness plan, a nutrition plan, or an interior cleaning plan. Since everything changes, continuously, we need to perform certain activities to revitalize elements that will naturally deteriorate with the passing of time. Asphalt pavement is composed of materials that will be broken down by nature’s elements like the wind, the sun, rain, and snow; in addition to man-made fossil fuels and their emissions. By understanding the pace of that breakdown, we can plan to protect and refresh those protecting agents on a periodic basis. So, a near constant state of appearance and function is possible with the right plan, materials, and deployment

What is the Worst that can Happen?

Every property is unique and carries its own potential liability beyond damage and repairs to exterior surfaces. It really comes down to the purpose of your commercial property and your priorities. Here are the most important considerations to keep in mind: 

1. Proper asphalt maintenance will reduce your costs by about half over the life of the surface – that’s significant!
2. A damaged surface greatly increases liability risk for physical and personal property accidents.
3. As the surface ages, it will negatively affect the property’s curb appeal.
4. If there is exterior signage with tenants or owners listed – a property in disrepair reflects on those brands.
5. Lower curb appeal will fetch lower lease rates.
6. You’ll need to plan for the inevitability of a very large cash outlay to reconstruct the paved surface.

What’s the Difference between Maintenance and Timely Repair?

A proactively managed property will always financially outperform a reactive one; it’s basic math, and it is a certainty. An effectively managed pavement management plan will maintain the condition of the original surface by protecting the underlying areas from moisture and other environmental contaminants that can seep in through surface cracks as they develop. By retaining a strong impermeable top layer of asphalt, the entire system avoids invasive elements from disrupting the perfect balance below the surface. Untreated cracks are the first warning signal for big costs ahead so heed the advice of wise property owners – find a trusted pavement solutions company to first consult with about the unique needs of your parking lot, driveway, access route, or private road. Most will provide a free consultation and quote to help you with the plan.

My father used to say: "hope for the best, but plan for the worst”. I think that’s old school thinking, especially for property management. A more appropriate motto might be: "Plan the maintenance, and retain the earnings!”