The construction and preservation of highway infrastructures requires considerable skilled labor and specialized equipment. Historically, this construction/preservation consisted of the owner being responsible for the right-of-way acquisition, roadway design, establishing materials requirements and contract specifications, contract procurement, and inspection of the awarded project during and after construction. The contractor provided the equipment, materials, labor, and expertise to construct the project. The agency then provided the preservation of the infrastructure either through in-house methods or through outsourcing. Both the agency and contractor had to staff according to project schedules, volume of and quantity of work items, and expected environmental conditions. Although in the design phase, more latitude was often allowed as schedule slippage could more easily be tolerated by the owner. However, once a contract is awarded, on-time performance becomes a high priority. As such, agencies had to ensure a properly qualified workforce was available to ensure a final product in accordance with project specifications and the contractor’s schedule. This is considered part of an agency’s fiduciary responsibility.

The objective of this research is to develop methodologies for establishing the necessary inspector staffing levels, deployment strategies, and training and competency requirements for each of the typical pavement preservation strategies. The potential costs and risks associated with inadequate inspection should also be determined.