Following voter approval of a dedicated tax to improve public infrastructure, the City of Copperas Cove was committed to demonstrating that every taxpayer dollar would be invested wisely. City leadership sought a pavement management strategy that would maximize network performance within a fixed budget while delivering visible, measurable improvements to the community.
Leveraging the proprietary optimization engine within the SAMS Asset Management System, our team evaluated thousands of rehabilitation scenarios to identify the investment strategy that produced the highest possible network-wide Pavement Condition Index (PCI) without increasing the City’s budget. Rather than relying on conventional treatment selection methods, the optimization algorithm strategically selected the right treatment, on the right road, at the right time to maximize long-term performance.
The results were significant. Traditional pavement management methods projected a five-year average network PCI of 65. Using SAMS Optimization, the City increased its projected average PCI to 72—a 7-point improvement with no additional funding. This performance gain is equivalent to delivering approximately $500,000 in additional pavement value simply by making smarter, data-driven investment decisions. The project enabled Copperas Cove to maximize the impact of its voter-approved funding, demonstrate responsible stewardship of public resources, and provide residents with a stronger, longer-lasting transportation network.
