These Terms of Service govern your use of ORCA Roads' website and road condition assessment services. By submitting a service request or executing a project agreement, you agree to these terms. Please read them carefully before engaging our services.
ORCA Roads provides AI-powered pavement condition assessment services for municipalities, townships, counties, and engineering consultants. Our services include:
ORCA uses the Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) methodology developed by the University of Wisconsin Transportation Information Center (WTTIC). Ratings are assigned on a 1—10 scale as follows:
| PASER Score | Condition | Description | Typical Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9–10 | Excellent | New or nearly new pavement. No visible distress. Surface appears uniform from overhead imagery. | Routine maintenance only (crack sealing) |
| 7–8 | Good | Minor surface cracking or texture variation visible. Structurally sound. Minimal distress indicators. | Preventive treatment (seal coat, micro-surface) |
| 5–6 | Fair | Moderate cracking, patching, or surface weathering visible. Structural integrity generally intact. | Rehabilitative overlay or mill-and-fill |
| 3–4 | Poor | Significant cracking, alligator/block cracking, edge deterioration, or extensive patching visible. Structural distress likely. | Structural overlay or reconstruction planning |
| 1–2 | Failed | Severe deterioration, potholes, base failure indicators, or near-complete loss of surface integrity visible from overhead. | Full reconstruction |
ORCA's AI models evaluate pavement condition and likely considers the following indicators visible in high-resolution aerial imagery:
Important: AI-based assessment from aerial imagery evaluates visible surfaces only and certian edge cases may exist that are outside of the pre-trained scope of the models. Subsurface structural conditions, ride quality, friction, and distress visible only from street level are not assessed. ORCA results are intended to complement, not replace, field engineering judgment for high-stakes rehabilitation decisions. See our full Disclaimer for additional limitations.
The following examples are drawn from an ORCA assessment performed for a North Chicago-area road network, illustrating the range of conditions typically identified. All data is delivered per-segment in GIS-ready formats:
| Street Name | PASER Score | Condition | Segment Length | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheridan Road | 9.86 | Excellent | 171 ft | Routine maintenance |
| 13th Street | 10.0 | Excellent | 145 ft | Routine maintenance |
| Atkinson Road | 9.83 | Good | 844 ft | Routine maintenance |
| Kristan Avenue | 9.40 | Good | 508 ft | Preventive seal coat |
| Hillcrest Avenue | 7.11 | Good | 330 ft | Preventive treatment |
| Sherman Avenue | 6.56 | Fair | 225 ft | Rehabilitative overlay |
| Argonne Drive | 3.85 | Fair | 114 ft | Structural overlay |
| Hervey Avenue | 4.15 | Poor | 424 ft | Structural overlay / reconstruction planning |
| Prospect Avenue | 3.49 | Poor | 1,253 ft | Structural overlay / reconstruction planning |
| 21st Street | 3.73 | Poor | 965 ft | Structural overlay / reconstruction planning |
| Wright Avenue | 2.75 | Poor | 205 ft | Reconstruction |
| 22nd Place | 2.43 | Poor | 1,379 ft | Reconstruction |
Sample data from ORCA North Chicago road assessment. Ratings assigned by AI analysis reviewed and certified by licensed PE. Delivered per-segment in GeoJSON and shapefile format.
Each engagement is governed by a written Scope of Work (SOW) or service agreement specifying: the road network to be assessed, required client data inputs, deliverable formats, turnaround timeline, and project fee. Work outside the agreed scope requires a written change order.
Clients are responsible for providing accurate road centerline shapefiles or GIS data defining the scope of assessment. ORCA is not responsible for assessment errors arising from inaccurate, incomplete, or misaligned client-supplied shapefiles. Imagery is aquired by ORCA using third-party aerial imagery providers at current-season resolution. Coverage may vary by geographic location and time of year.
Standard turnaround is 24–72 hours for networks up to 100 centerline miles following receipt and validation checks of all required client data. Larger networks or those requiring shapefile acquisition have extended timelines as specified in the SOW. Timelines are targets, not guarantees, and may be affected by imagery availability, weather, or extraordinary circumstances.
Invoices are due prior to delivery of final assessment deliverables. Overdue balances accrue interest at 1.5% per month. ORCA reserves the right to withhold deliverables pending payment confirmation for new clients or clients with outstanding balances.
Upon full payment, clients receive a perpetual, non-exclusive license to use assessment deliverables (GeoJSON, shapefiles, PDF reports) for their internal municipal planning, reporting, and capital budgeting purposes. Clients may share deliverables with authorized engineering consultants working on their behalf.
ORCA retains ownership of its AI models, processing methodology, software tools, and template formats. Assessment deliverables incorporating client-specific road data are client property upon delivery.
ORCA assessments are based on analysis of aerial imagery and are subject to the following limitations:
See our full Engineering Disclaimer for complete limitations of liability.
ORCA treats all client project data, road shapefiles, and assessment results as confidential. We do not share client-specific data with third parties or use client project data in public-facing marketing without express written consent. Aggregated, anonymized statistics about pavement conditions across our project portfolio may be used for general marketing purposes.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ORCA Roads' liability arising from any assessment engagement shall not exceed the total fees paid by the client for that specific project. ORCA shall not be liable for indirect, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages, including costs arising from municipal decisions made in reliance on assessment data.
Engineering Judgment Required: ORCA assessment data is an analytical tool to support professional judgment — not a substitute for it. Capital rehabilitation decisions, load ratings, structural assessments, and public safety determinations must be made by qualified engineers applying appropriate field investigation and professional discretion.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin. Any disputes arising from ORCA Roads services shall be resolved in the courts of Wisconsin, with venue in the county where the assessed road network is located, or Walworth County if no other venue applies.
We may update these Terms periodically. Continued use of our services following notice of material changes constitutes acceptance. Service agreements in effect at the time of a change are governed by the Terms in effect when the agreement was executed.
Questions about these Terms: