Improving the productivity and mobility of the national highway transportation system are key goals of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). During 2006, FHWA’s Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program worked toward these goals through its efforts to provide answers to “how” and “why” pavements perform as they do. To better understand pavement performance, the LTPP program gathers and processes data describing the structure, service conditions, and performance of 2,513 pavement test sections in North America. Highway engineers use these data and data analysis findings to help make decisions that lead to more cost-effective and better performing pavements.
 

In 2006, the funding provided to the LTPP program was not adequate for meeting all of the program’s needs. As a result, LTPP implemented a new operational plan to focus available resources on the most critical and time-sensitive issues. The primary priority program deliverable for LTPP in September 2009 will be a quality pavement performance database and supporting ancillary information along with a document warehouse that will enable researchers to better understand pavement performance. In
collaboration with the TRB LTPP Committee, the LTPP program developed a framework for writing a post-2009 report, which will detail what needs to be done to secure the legacy of the LTPP program.