How the Pandemic Affected Our Roads

By Dan Fernandez

When the pandemic forced businesses and people to conduct a majority of their business indoors, the world and people had to adapt. Businesses had to rethink their practices, stipulating office attendance, and people had to find new ways to live their lives from inside their homes.

As a direct result, it is estimated that the pandemic added billions to ecommerce sales in 2020 and 2021 as people sat at their computer to order groceries, clothing, electronics, and even pet supplies. As online shopping increased, the inevitable rise in delivery truck traffic on residential roads and lots did as well. The huge, loud, and almost constant convoy has negatively impacted our roads and parking lots.

Residential roadways and commercial parking lots were not designed for the seemingly never-ending deliveries currently rumbling around our communities. The recent onslaught of delivery trucks is adversely affecting residential neighborhoods, HOAs, condo associations, multi-family apartment complexes, and commercial parking lots, which were built and maintained for personal vehicles – not multi-ton trucks loaded with packages.

Engineers estimate that a truck weighing the interstate maximum of 80,000 pounds (fully loaded) does damage to a highway equivalent to 5,000 passenger cars. It follows that those same trucks cause even more damage to surfaces maintained with much lighter traffic in mind.

Unfortunately, it is no longer unusual to spot even freight trucks beyond their designated delivery routes, which were built specifically for heavy-duty traffic. Residential roads and parking lots are feeling the pressure – literally.

The pavement’s life can be extended by developing a maintenance and repair strategy, beginning with yearly inspections. Asphalt is a flexible surface that becomes oxidized and brittle by exposure to the sun, making it susceptible to cracks under pressure.

Limiting heavy traffic seems unlikely in this new online world so, more than ever, sealcoating is recommended. A good quality sealcoat provides much needed protection to the asphalt and restores lost flexibility to your pavement. Sealing asphalt every three to five years will minimize cracking while heavier vehicles continue to drive over it.

Proactively protect your investment by working closely with your pavement specialist. Keep an eye out for early signs of water intrusion, softening of subbase, and oxidation of pavement before it is too late.

Early damage can be prevented or reduced by keeping the asphalt clear of debris, which can be abrasive and wear down the surface. Oil and other types of chemical spills increase surface deterioration. Cleaning and street sweeping should be performed as a part of regular maintenance.

Plan early and schedule the maintenance ahead of sealcoat season – spring or early summer. Don’t wait! If regular maintenance is neglected, you may face more expensive repairs or even irreparable damage down the quickly crumbling road.

Schedule an inspection with an expert to learn what can be done to stall the deterioration being caused by the trucks you see passing every single day. As the world slowly settles into a new normal, online shopping and the inevitable delivery trucks show no sign of slowing down, so stop the wear and tear before it stops you.

Dan Fernandez is the Director of Business Development for TARC Construction, which serves Northern and Central California. He has worked in the CID industry for 24 years.