assessment by Let's Pave contractors

Evaluate Today, Spend Smarter Tomorrow

Fall is not only for pumpkin picking and football, it’s also the season to evaluate your parking lot. Inspecting your pavement up close will help you budget and secure proper funding. And it all starts with a walk.

Yet, going on site to walk all your parking lots may be difficult. Fortunately, there are options to overcome this challenge.

In-Person Evaluation

The first solution is to enlist the help of a paving contractor that specializes in pavement assessments. A reputable company will walk your parking lots and document the overall condition of your pavement assets such as surface distress, ride quality, and aesthetics. The data collected is used to identify repair and replacement needs, prioritize repairs on a site or set of sites, and create budgets for planning up to five years ahead.

A quick word about budgeting. Your pavement maintenance budget should include routine maintenance as well as future capital and expense needs such as parking lot construction for new facilities, parking lot expansion, or asphalt resurfacing. This approach helps to minimize unbudgeted expenses or scheduling setbacks due to lack of funding.

Remote Evaluation

The second solution is to use visual verification technology. This option may also be used to supplement in-person evaluations or to audit sites on an ongoing basis. Using an app, you can request photos and survey data of any site, anywhere in the country. The information is collected by independent, local consumers and uploaded to a portal within 24 hours of a request—and sometimes even faster. Photos of your parking lot include GPS and timestamp coding, so you know exactly where and when pictures are taken. You can use this data to properly budget for high-priority repairs while earmarking funds for less-severe defects. Let’s Pave has experienced the value of using this technology firsthand and we are happy to share it with you; ask us about it!

Timing Matters

Pavement evaluations and assessments should occur every 2-4 years. This keeps data fresh and enables accurate budgeting so you can afford ongoing, proactive maintenance. Fall is the ideal season to evaluate pavement because it typically coincides with budgeting for the following year. It is also best to schedule inspections before the first ice occurs as icy surfaces make it more difficult to assess pavement condition. So, don’t delay—schedule your fall assessment today.