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<p>Low-volume rural roads often suffer from poor quality, limiting access to markets, healthcare, and education for remote communities. Maintenance is frequently constrained by limited funding, while environmental concerns and planning inefficiencies persist. This study adopts a Quadruple Bottom Line (QBL) perspective—integrating environmental, economic, social, and material dimensions—to assess sustainability indicators relevant to rural road maintenance. Through a systematic review of recent empirical studies, technical reports, and international guidelines, we identify and critically classify indicators under each QBL pillar. Findings reveal notable disparities: material indicators like pavement durability and lifecycle performance appear in over 65% of studies, while environmental aspects such as emissions and soil erosion are addressed in less than 30%. Economic and social indicators vary widely in emphasis across regions. To bridge these gaps, we propose a flexible framework to guide indicator selection, incorporating material sustainability into the traditional Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach. This integrated process aims to support engineers, planners, and policymakers in designing maintenance strategies that enhance rural community resilience, reduce costs, and extend infrastructure lifespan.</p>

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Sustainability indicators for low-volume rural roads assessment: a quadruple bottom line approach

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月31日

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  • Raji Reddy Myakala,
  • S. Shankar

摘要

Low-volume rural roads often suffer from poor quality, limiting access to markets, healthcare, and education for remote communities. Maintenance is frequently constrained by limited funding, while environmental concerns and planning inefficiencies persist. This study adopts a Quadruple Bottom Line (QBL) perspective—integrating environmental, economic, social, and material dimensions—to assess sustainability indicators relevant to rural road maintenance. Through a systematic review of recent empirical studies, technical reports, and international guidelines, we identify and critically classify indicators under each QBL pillar. Findings reveal notable disparities: material indicators like pavement durability and lifecycle performance appear in over 65% of studies, while environmental aspects such as emissions and soil erosion are addressed in less than 30%. Economic and social indicators vary widely in emphasis across regions. To bridge these gaps, we propose a flexible framework to guide indicator selection, incorporating material sustainability into the traditional Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach. This integrated process aims to support engineers, planners, and policymakers in designing maintenance strategies that enhance rural community resilience, reduce costs, and extend infrastructure lifespan.