Highways are often seen as the gold standard of road infrastructure, sleek stretches, wide lanes, smooth and slick asphalt, and consistent speed. In contrast, local roads are frequently narrower, patchier, and less forgiving. But should that be the case?
There is an accepted perception that only highways deserve high construction standards, whereas local roads can be compromised. How often have you heard someone say, “Finally, we’re on the highway; now the road gets better”?
This expectation indicates a deeper issue: inconsistent quality across road types. While highways are necessary for economic flow and intercity communication, local roads are equally important. They support daily life, making it possible to take children to school, respond to emergencies, commerce, and move throughout communities. Our reliance on local roadways is more regular and personal. So, why shouldn’t they be created with the same level of safety and durability?
This blog aims to debunk that myth and urge for a more united approach: all roads, regardless of classification, should be constructed with the same dedication to quality, longevity, and safety.
Why Highways and Local Roads Deserve Similar Construction Quality
While highways carry high-speed traffic across great distances, local roads are equally important to the overall transportation network. When one network link fails, it affects the entire system.
Ensuring uniform building standards on both highways and local & rural roads improves reliability, lowers long-term costs, and promotes equitable infrastructure for all users. The factors that follow show that the quality standards of road construction for highways and local roads should be the same.
- Safety First – Everywhere
- Consistent Driving Experience
- Infrastructure Longevity
- Urban Livability and Accessibility
- Environmental Impact
Safety Knows No Boundaries
Safety should not be dependent on the type of road you are driving on. In reality, local and rural roads often carry a greater burden when it comes to protecting vulnerable people such as walkers, cyclists, schoolchildren, and the elderly. These roads are rooted in our communities, but they are usually plagued by potholes, poor signage, insufficient lighting, and inconsistent maintenance.
Many accidents in urban and semi-urban regions are caused by poor road conditions rather than speeding or reckless behaviour. Every road user deserves consistent protection, no matter where they go. For example, in a 2017 survey by Statista across eleven Indian cities, the vast majority of the participants stated that poor infrastructure was to blame for accidents.
Around 86% of participants in Nagpur agreed with this statement, while approximately 31% in Bengaluru did. Furthermore, a 2022 report found that potholes were among the leading causes of road accidents in major Indian cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, along with aggressive driving and stray animals.
By holding local roads to the same quality standards as highways, we ensure universal safety. Every road user deserves consistent protection, no matter where they go.
Seamless Driving Experience
Drivers in the real-world setting do not stick to one type of route; instead, they alternate between highways, city streets, and local lanes. When the quality fluctuates dramatically between these transitions, it crosses over with not just the driving experience, but also the driver’s control and focus. Sudden potholes, uneven surfaces, or sudden design changes can cause discomfort, stress, and even accidents.
On the other side, consistently high-quality roads promote smoother rides, reduce vehicle wear, and assist in the maintenance of a steady and stable speed. When the whole network is designed to the same standard, drivers benefit from predictability, safety, and less fatigue regardless of where they are travelling.
Cost and Maintenance Efficiency
It may appear cost-effective to cut costs on local road construction in a shorter timespan, but the effects over time are sometimes more expensive. Poor materials and rushed construction cause rapid deterioration, demanding regular repairs that interrupt traffic, drain the resources of the government, and weaken public trust.
By investing in long-lasting road materials and smart engineering from the start, maintenance cycles can be prolonged, overall costs decreased, and service life increased. In addition, fewer road closures and construction interruptions have a lower impact on local communities, businesses, and important services. In infrastructure, as in most other areas, investing in quality now will pay off later.
Urban Infrastructure & Livability
One of the most essential aspects of city roads is that the city becomes the personality of an individual, and strong infrastructure makes individuals wear it like jewels. The condition of local and rural roadways is more than just convenient; it reflects a city’s planning and objectives. Cracked pavements, uneven surfaces, and inadequate drainage systems not only hinder mobility but also indicate neglect, influencing public perception and municipal pride. These roads have a direct impact on walkability, access to public services, and even property values.
Using durable, weather-resistant road paving materials on local roads increases resilience to wear and environmental stress, particularly in high-traffic urban cities and areas like Bengaluru and Mumbai. A well-built road network facilitates smoother circulation of school buses, ambulances, waste collection, and daily commutes, defining the foundation of a livable, efficient city.
Environmental & Economic Impact
The quality of road construction and the materials used have a direct impact on a city’s environmental sustainability and economic performance. Poorly constructed roads deteriorate more quickly, increasing the frequency of repairs and the use of resources such as asphalt, concrete, and fuel.
This not only adds prices but also contributes to increased carbon emissions from cars and maintenance equipment. When excellent road infrastructure standards are not implemented, even the most advanced and reputable cities are subjected to jokes and sarcasm for their road infrastructure, with Bengaluru being a prime example. Even after being recognised as one of the most important cities in terms of IT hubs and startup communities. Its roads are frequently the subject of jokes.
In contrast, roads made of high-performance, environmentally friendly materials reduce friction, enhance fuel efficiency, and extend vehicle life by minimising damage. For businesses, particularly those in logistics, better roads offer faster delivery times, lower transportation costs, and fewer delays. Uniform standards for all road types promote a greener, more resilient economy for the city, state and ultimately the country.
Factors that differentiate city roads and highways
From highways to rural roads, consistent standards of roads and construction are critical for safety, sustainability, and long-term cost-effectiveness. It is an opportunity for authorities, engineers, and residents to push for higher standards in terms of road materials and pavement processes, particularly in rural and municipal road development. The appropriate materials and approaches are already available; all that is required is the willingness to take advantage of them.
Conclusion
We at ITPL recognise the role and impact of cities and rural regions being far from material manufacturing sites, thus, we have also created materials such as cold-mix technology, Bitumen Emulsions, that are appropriate for such locations. This cold-mix bitumen creates equally robust and resilient roads. Let us invest in long-term, climate-resilient, and community-ready road solutions, because every journey begins and ends on a local road.
Explore our range of high-performance road construction solutions!