​1. Study Objectives and Method

￮ The provincial government of Jeollabuk-do is facing challenges with aging rural roads, tunnels, and bridges in the region, leading to subsequent increases in maintenance costs for resurfacing and repairs; it should thus formulate efficient and systematic road management strategies to minimize these expenses.

￮ The central government is aggressively pursuing the “National Road Network Digital Twin Project” designed to manage extensive road-related data, including road facilities. This ambitious national project, starting in 2023, aims to digitize the road ledger (which is currently the only legal document) to construct an integrated information system for roads nationwide.

￮ Considering recent developments, this study proposes strategic plans to digitize data pertaining to roads, tunnels, and bridges in Jeollabuk-do. Additionally, it urges the local government to construct a comprehensive data management system for the efficient and systematic management of digitized road data and an integrated maintenance system for rural roads that can be utilized to make road maintenance and repairs more effective. 

￮ As part of Jeollabuk-do’s smart road management strategies, three primary measures are suggested: digitizing road data, constructing a comprehensive data management system, and building an integrated maintenance system for rural roads.

￮ The adoption of the aforementioned measures will enable the accurate analysis of rural road conditions and characteristics, thus facilitating systematic and rational decision-making processes for prioritizing maintenance options and identifying optimal timings for repairs.

2. Conclusion and Policy Suggestion

￮ The analytical findings of this study are centered on the following measures: ① “digitization of roads,” including road facilities and road geometrical structures, which are supervised by road management agencies; ② a “comprehensive data management system” that helps manage digitized road datasets effectively and efficiently; and ③ an “integrated maintenance system for rural roads” that leverages the above data management system to provide a wide range of road-related services and ultimately achieves the efficient and systematic management of Jeollabuk-do’s rural roads. 

￮ Jeollabuk-do’s integrated management system has been designed from the perspective of utilizing various data sources: data on components (49 types) of the road ledger; geospatial data (videos and photographs); administrative and status data (maintenance history and detailed budget execution); and relevant public data, such as key traffic data that is essential for devising robust policies, provided by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, the Road Traffic Authority, the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the National Fire Agency, and the Korean National Police Agency.

￮ The integrated maintenance system, which is a road-centered utilization system, incorporates a broad array of administrative data into the geospatial data of specific roads while facilitating the execution of road-related tasks. The system plays an integral role in improving road facility maintenance and management, using science as evidence in policy-making, streamlining utilization-focused road operations and management, and strengthening road management with an emphasis on the entire life of the road.

￮ Two methods are employed for road management and maintenance: the pavement management system of the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology and the digital twin-based method of the Korea Railway Research Institute. In this study, a combination of the two methods is proposed. Given the different road maintenance criteria and requirements among responsible organizations, it is imperative that the central government should develop standards for digitizing road data. 

￮ Moreover, with the emergence of multiple futuristic modes of transportation, such as autonomous driving, urban air mobility, and personal mobility, the region’s integrated road management system entails continuous monitoring and improvement to accommodate these innovative transport means and keep abreast of rapidly evolving road technologies.​