Artificial intelligence and digital surveys will be part of a four-year programme of road improvements.
A strategy document is going before the county council and outlines the state of roads in Lincolnshire.
The infrastructure and asset survey reveals more than 20 per cent of unclassified roads need maintenance as it’s at the greatest risk of rapid deterioration.
And there’s government threats to withhold funding if there is not sufficient transparency on the action.
“From 2020 onwards, local highways authorities have faced significant additional pressures, including inflation in construction materials, rising public expectations and the impacts of sustained under-investment,” the report, due before the executive on April 8, says.
The Department for Transport introduced the new requirement of an annual report last year, and funding could be halted for authorities which don’t comply by June 30 each year.
“The service will use AI-driven modelling and digital surveying to enable more accurate forecasting, proactive planning and better decision-making across the network,” the report says.
“This updated strategy is ambitious and future-focussed,” it adds.
“We aim to strengthen public trust, improve satisfaction and embed meaningful engagement into decision making.”
Issues affecting the current state of the county’s roads include climate change, more extreme weather, high HGV usage and greater general use.
In 2024 a total of 4.39 billion vehicle miles were recorded in the county, with traffic now heavier than pre-pandemic levels.
Lincolnshire has higher growth than other areas in the East Midlands and traffic levels reflect that with cars and taxis making up 76 per cent of all motor traffic.
“The increasing presence of HGVs, especially on roads not designed for such loadings, continues to accelerate the wear and degradation of carriageways,” the report says.
The Fen soil, increasing rainfall and storm events coupled with drainage failures also contribute to the problem of crumbling roads.
Climate adaptation will be embedded into all aspects of highways from panning to emergency responses.
Future strategies include developing AI-driven models to predict deterioration rates for carriageways, footways, drainage systems and assets.
The government has allocated £1.6 billion nationally in capital funding with an additional £500m uplift. But a quarter of that depends on both strong management and transparency.
A further £7.3 billion has been allocated to cover 2026 to 2030.
At county level, the bill for accelerated improvement to reduce the backlog over ten years stands at £124.57m.
It’s £113m for gradual improvement with a 20 year backlog clearance. At the bottom end of the scale, £81.13m would see a decline with an unsustainable backlog.
Projected budgets show a total of £213m for carriageways over the next three years.
The strategy includes assets such as the Cross Keys Bridge at Sutton Bridge which needs maintaining. Even if it’s eventually replaced, the Grade II-listed asset remains the responsibility of the county council.
Members of the executive are recommended to approve the strategy on April 3.
