Points to Remember

1. Watch for city limits as they are sometimes improperly marked or not signed at all. The map mileage can be used in this situation if no other reference is available.

2. When rating distresses remember that N = None, L = Light, M = Moderate, and S = Severe. Also, when rating Ride Quality, remember that L = Average Ride, M = Slightly Rough Ride and S = Rough Ride, not Smooth.

   Again, take care that a written M does not look like an N and vice versa.

3. Each direction of travel is rated as a separate section of pavement for all divided highways. The rater shall look at only the outside lane in each direction when rating distresses. For example, a section may have severe alligator cracking in the outer wheelpath for the total length of the section. Even if the outside lane had no alligator cracking it would be rated as having 100% alligator cracking. Patching will also be rated based upon percentage of the outside lane.

4. There has been some confusion in the past regarding alligator and edge cracking where this type of structural cracking is near the edge of the pavement. To eliminate this problem, we have decided to label cracking near the the pavement edge as alligator cracking. However, when rating this type of cracking near the edge as alligator cracking, care must still be taken not to "double up" on alligator cracking in the same location

5. Another problem that may occur is identifying Rough Ride Quality. Remember that the key to a Rough Ride is that operating speed cannot be maintained safely. Rough Ride Quality should be extremely rare across the state. Before rating a road as Rough, be sure that it complies

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