Highway pavements form the backbone of transportation networks, and their performance largely depends on the effectiveness of maintenance practices adopted over time. Ensuring durability, safety, and economic efficiency requires a clear understanding of how different maintenance strategies influence pavement condition. In this context, the present study offers a detailed comparative assessment of preventive and reactive maintenance approaches in highway pavement management. The analysis is grounded in field-based observations, distress identification, and evaluation through the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), using data collected from multiple road sections subjected to diverse traffic volumes, environmental exposure, and drainage conditions. The study focuses on identifying key pavement distresses such as cracking, rutting, potholes, and edge deterioration, and examines how their severity and spread relate to maintenance interventions. Preventive measures, including early-stage treatments like crack sealing and surface improvements, were analyzed for their role in controlling damage progression and preserving pavement quality. On the other hand, reactive maintenance typically implemented after visible deterioration was evaluated in terms of its effectiveness in restoring structural integrity and the associated economic burden. The analysis indicates a clear performance gap between the two approaches. Road sections maintained through preventive strategies consistently demonstrate better surface condition, slower deterioration rates, and longer functional life. In contrast, reliance on reactive measures often leads to rapid degradation and increased maintenance expenditure over time. The findings also underline the significant role of external factors, particularly drainage efficiency and traffic loading, in accelerating or mitigating pavement damage.

The paper emphasizes the importance of shifting towards a proactive, condition-based maintenance framework. Such an approach not only enhances pavement performance but also contributes to more efficient allocation of resources and long-term sustainability of highway infrastructure.