What Is Pavement Condition Index (PCI)?

Written By Chris Sunde

The Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is a standardized numerical rating (0–100) used to describe the condition of a roadway surface.

  • 100 = Excellent condition

  • 0 = Failed pavement

PCI is defined under ASTM D6433, first introduced in 1999, and today is widely used by municipalities, DOTs, and engineering firms to assess and manage road networks. It has 20 asphalt distresses like cracks, patches and potholes and 15 concrete distresses, including different types of cracks and damage to the slabs. It’s goal was to make visual, manual assessments of pavement as objective and repeatable as possible.

Why PCI Matters More Than You Think

PCI isn’t just a score — it’s the foundation of millions of dollars in infrastructure decisions.

Cities use PCI to:

  • Prioritize repairs

  • Allocate budgets

  • Justify funding requests

  • Forecast long-term maintenance costs

  • Compare notes with other cities

Without reliable PCI data, agencies often fall into reactive maintenance, which is significantly more expensive and no fun for anyone - not citizens, not Public Works Staff, not elected officials.

How PCI Is Traditionally Collected

Historically, PCI surveys involve walking or driving inspections. This process is time-consuming, expensive, and subjective. Today, agencies are shifting toward image-based inspections with automated data pipelines. AI is particularly well-suited to this task with a well-defined task, a discrete number of distresses, and distinct boundaries. Instead of sending crews into the field, data can be collected passively using vehicles already on the road.

From PCI Scores to Actionable Plans

PCI scores by themselves are just data. It’s what you do with that data that makes the difference. PCI becomes powerful when paired with:

  • Treatment recommendations

  • Budget scenarios

  • Multi-year planning

This transforms raw data into a pavement management strategy, enabling cities to develop budgets and set goals to maintain their most valuable physical asset (literally and figuratively): roads.

Where GoodRoads Fits In

GoodRoads helps cities:

  • Collect roadway data using simple vehicle-mounted devices

  • Analyze conditions using AI

  • Convert results into prioritized maintenance plans

The result: faster data collection, more consistent scoring, and better spending decisions. This, in turn, leads to better roads. In another post, we will explore why better roads matter, but for now, I think we can all agree potholes suck!

Final Thoughts

PCI is the backbone of effective pavement management — but only if the data is accurate, consistent, in a understandable format (not just a big spreadsheet). Modern tools are making it possible to collect this data faster and more affordably than ever before.

Want to see what your network’s PCI looks like?

👉 Contact us to learn how GoodRoads can help you assess your roads quickly and cost-effectively.

Chris Sunde