Unexplored challenges in quantifying and reducing carbon emissions in road maintenance

Carbon emissions generated by road maintenance are frequently overlooked in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies due to their inherent complexity and uncertainty. This study addresses this gap by systematically reviewing 63 relevant publications and conducting an industry survey of 31 professionals to evaluate methodologies, challenges, and strategies for quantifying and reducing carbon emissions in road maintenance. Three key findings emerge. First, while LCA remains the dominant framework for measuring maintenance-phase emissions, existing methodologies and tools inadequately address the unique complexities of maintenance activities. Second, critical data challenges—including variability in maintenance scheduling, institutional fragmentation leading to inconsistent data practices, and the difficulty of quantifying emissions from traffic congestion during maintenance—hinder accurate carbon accounting. Third, the study identifies actionable reduction strategies supported by practitioners and literature, such as adopting sustainable materials, prioritizing preventive maintenance, coordinating with utility operators to optimize scheduling, and improving pavement rolling resistance to enhance vehicle efficiency. By synthesizing methodological limitations, data barriers, and practical mitigation approaches, this work advances a more robust framework for both quantifying and minimizing the climate impacts of road maintenance. These insights derived hold significant promise for policymakers and practitioners seeking to align infrastructure management with decarbonization goals.