Many transportation agencies are experimenting with innovative contractual arrangements for the 
procurement of construction, maintenance and operation of roads. They are changing from traditional 
contracts that prescribe the kind of work that need to be done in a specific section of the network, to 
more flexible contracts, increasing the contractors freedom to its maximum level, where the contractor 
itself decide which section, when and what kind of work he will perform, with the only condition of 
keeping a certain level of performance for a whole road network.

Advanced computer models have been developed that estimate what would be the resulting road 
condition for given investment decisions and maintenance actions. Nevertheless it remains uncertain if 
contractors are given the freedom: What trade-offs would they make? Will road quality decrease? Will 
road agencies be able to monitor or control contractors? 

Before all these choices and freedom are transferred to the private sector, it is urgent to develop a clear 
view of the most important trade-offs that are now already made by the public authority. In order to 
contribute to the building of this understanding this paper explores the issue of road condition and 
some of the most the relevant and conflicting aspects of it.