Rough, rutted roads create safety hazards and damage vehicles, making driving more of a punishment than a pleasure. Road maintenance can be a challenge, especially in Texas where the state is responsible for maintaining 79,000 miles of pavement. But the task has gotten easier, thanks to researchers at UTA.

Computer science and engineering Professor Roger Walker and his research team have developed the Real-Time Transverse Pavement Profile Measurement System that uses acoustic transducers, lasers and accelerometers (all types of sensors) to create a fast, accurate record of road surface conditions.

Funded by the federal government and the Texas Department of Transportation, the system is vehicle mounted and takes detailed measurements of road conditions while moving at highway speeds.

"Texas has one of the best highway management programs in the nation," Dr. Walker said. "That's due to TxDOT's abilities to accurately determine pavement conditions and assign crews to correct problems before conditions deteriorate into an unusable roadway."

To cover its entire highway system, TxDOT will need 10-15 of the devices, at approximately $8,000 each. For the 16 million registered motor vehicles in Texas—and the Texans who drive them—it seems a small price to pay.