ABSTRACT
7.01 Rural access infrastructure (RAI) maintenance can be defined as that process by which (i) the investment in the infrastructure is protected, and (ii) the infrastructure is kept in a condition appropriate to its current use. This definition is an oversimplification of the method of determining expenditures for maintaining high-volume highways. The level of highway maintenance has a direct, calculable impact on vehicle operating costs that significantly influences the economics of highway investments. However, when considering tracks, trails and paths, it is safe to assume that there is a fixed cost on each link to combat climatic wear and an often negligible variable cost dependent on traffic volume.
