JBC Associates, Inc. was selected by PennDOT District 6-0 to provide personnel and resources to perform Systematic Technique to Analyze and Manage Pennsylvania Pavements (STAMPP) surveys of shoulders, guiderail, and drainage on assigned state highways for the STAMPP Agreement 2025-2030.
In the context of transportation professional services, STAMPP is an acronym for the Systematic Technique to Analyze and Manage Pennsylvania’s Pavements. The program is used by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to evaluate the condition of the state highway system.
JBC’s team of qualified inspectors carry extensive experience and understanding of all key roadway elements, including pavement, guide rail, barrier, and drainage facilities. From December 2019 until March 2024, JBC successfully performed and completed District 6-0’s E04644 STAMPP Survey Agreement. In fact, JBC’s Project Manager, Lorraine Ryan, was on the initial District 6-0 STAMPP Survey Team back in 1983, as a PennDOT employee.
Combined with the Department’s administered STAMPP training, utilizing Department-supplied STAMPP Field Data Collector (tablet PC) devices, our teams perform accurate and complete inventories and condition surveys on the assigned state routes.
Not sure what STAMPP is?
A STAMPP survey consists of a comprehensive and systematic process to collect data on pavement distress and other roadway conditions. The components typically include:
- Pavement Condition Data: This is the core of the survey. It involves assessing and documenting various types of pavement distress, such as cracks, potholes, rutting, and other surface defects. This data is often collected using automated methods, such as video logging vans, which are equipped with cameras and sensors to capture high-resolution imagery and pavement data.
- Manual Surveys: While much of the data is collected automatically, STAMPP also involves manual surveys. Two-person crews travel along the roadway at a slow speed to manually assess conditions that may not be captured by the automated systems. This includes the condition of shoulders, guide rails, and drainage systems.
- Data Integration: The data collected, both automated and manual, is integrated into a central roadway management system. This provides a uniform, statewide evaluation of pavement conditions, which is used to make informed decisions about maintenance, repair, and future investments.
- Geometric and Other Data: The survey may also collect other data points, such as pavement roughness, and geometric information like horizontal and vertical curves, grade, and superelevation. It can also document the location of traffic signals, rumble strips, and other features.
Why is STAMPP important?
The purpose of a STAMPP survey is to provide accurate and location-specific condition data on the state highway network. This information helps transportation agencies:
- Monitor Network Condition: It gives them the tools to track the overall health of the pavement network.
- Assess Future Needs: It provides data to project future maintenance and repair needs.
- Prioritize Projects: It allows for the establishment of county-level condition rankings to optimize investments and prioritize projects with the greatest need.
- Improve Decision-Making: It provides a data-driven basis for making decisions about pavement management and rehabilitation strategies.
By combining thoughtful inspection practices with reliable data collection, we aim to contribute to safer, smoother travel for everyone. With every survey, we’re not just collecting data; we’re helping support the communities who rely on these roads every day.We look forward to continuing this important work and being part of the effort to keep Pennsylvania moving forward, one roadway at a time.
→ Dec 15, 2025
