Evaluation of Current Practices and Development of a Conceptual Framework for Maintenance Management of Municipal Roads and Buildings

Municipal physical infrastructure assets provide communities with well-functioning urban systems. To ensure having the infrastructure in good condition, proper maintenance management of these assets that would result in an efficient use of resources is required. The absence of systematic maintenance practices in the Palestinian territories prompted the Municipal Development and Lending Fund to introduce an Operation and Maintenance Program for the two key municipal sectors of roads and buildings. This paper investigates the current maintenance practices in these sectors and identifies implementation challenges, bridging the research gap on the assessment of the maintenance management practices in the Palestinian municipalities, and proposes potentials for improvement. To achieve the objectives of the study, a mixed methods approach is utilized, considering a survey using questionnaires distributed across the Palestinian municipalities, which was followed by complementary interviews with key stakeholders’ representatives. Based on the conducted analysis, the findings identify the challenges facing the municipalities and indicate that the recently implemented Operation and Maintenance Program has significantly improved the municipalities’ services and performance, enhanced their classifications, and positively influenced fund allocations. The study outcome highlights the need for reengineering municipal organizational structures and updating the followed procedures to further enhance maintenance management. The research proposes a conceptual maintenance management framework that addresses the identified needs and challenges, and aims to enhance municipal performance. Furthermore, the framework suggests expanding the Operation and Maintenance Program to include all municipal services across all municipalities. This proposed approach is believed to be vital for enhancing the overall performance and sustainability of the municipalities.