12-03-2017, 01:53 PM
(12-03-2017, 01:14 PM)tomh009 Wrote:(12-03-2017, 09:54 AM)Pheidippides Wrote: I think it is still too early for me to understand the question, but here is an attempt.
The costs (2016) are broken down this way:
Winter maintenance = $4,322 per lane km or $1.22 per m2 (assuming 3.65m lane width)
Total maintenance cost = $19,138 per lane km or $5.24 per m2 (assuming 3.65m lane width)
Total cost (including amortization, disposal, capital, maintenance) = $32,568 per lane km or $8.92 per m2 (assuming 3.65m lane width)
(...)
Each year, the total non-maintenance costs of the original road is $26,860.
Each year, the total non-maintenance costs of the narrowed road is $26,124.
A difference of $736.
Right. But what is the incremental cost of rebuilding the street as a narrower one? That's the up-front cost, which would eventually be paid back in maintenance savings.
I assume you mean rebuilding narrower, as opposed to rebuilding unchanged? I can’t imagine that you would ever rebuild just to lose a tiny bit of width — you would adjust the design when rebuilding anyway.
It seems obvious that rebuilding narrowed should in most cases cost less, so there is no up-front cost, just a small immediate savings, and then small ongoing savings over the years, combined with a small safety increase. The cost is that drivers have to actually watch what their doing and drive at a more reasonable (or less unreasonable) speed.