Workers repair a crack in the pavement on a section covered by the highway maintenance pilot in Haimen. [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]

A long-term maintenance pilot program covering the Haimen sections of National Highway G228 and Provincial Highway S434 in Nantong has been selected as an exemplary case in the national highway modern maintenance pilot program by the Ministry of Transport.

The pilot is the only maintenance-focused case from Jiangsu province on the list. It covers about 60.8 kilometers and will run from 2024 to 2028. Rather than repairing only damaged sections, the project focuses on proactive maintenance, full-cycle management and sustained quality improvement.

The project uses smart inspection technologies to create an integrated aerial, surface and subsurface inspection system. Each crack in the pavement is recorded in a dedicated file and tracked from detection to repair. The crack treatment rate reached 100 percent in 2025, and a mini program introduced in 2026 enables real-time detection and immediate treatment of pavement defects.

The project also uses green maintenance techniques, reusing all old asphalt on site and recovering more than 95 percent of old materials. The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1,500 metric tons over its full cycle.