Reason report says national transportation system improving

The Reason Foundation’s 20th annual report on the Performance of State Highway Systems tracks the performance of state-owned highway systems of the U.S. from 1984 to 2009.

Eleven indicators make up each state’s overall rating, including highway expenditures, interstate and primary road pavement condition, bridge condition, urban interstate congestion, fatality rates and narrow rural lanes. The study is based on spending and performance data submitted by the state highway agencies to the federal government.

The system’s overall condition improved dramatically from 2008 to 2009. Six of the seven key indicators of system condition showed improvement, including large gains in rural interstate and urban interstate condition, and a reduction in the fatality rate.

Only rural arterial condition worsened slightly, but poor mileage is still only a fraction of 1 percent. These improvements were achieved despite a slight reduction in per-mile expenditures. All seven indicators of performance improved between 2005 and 2009.

Overall, expenditures for state-owned roads have increased about 18.8 percent since 2005, but in the 2008-09 recession expenditures actually decreased slightly between 2008 and 2009, dropping about 0.6 percent. States were also more cost-efficient with their money in 2009: administrative costs dropped about 14 percent (possibly through the states’ disbursing funds received earlier).

In addition, money was shifted to capital and bridge expenditures (up 3.5 percent) and maintenance expenditures (up 11.0 percent).

The U.S. economic downturn, which began in 2007 and continued in earnest in 2008 and 2009, is an important background factor influencing these trends. In 2008 total U.S. annual vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) fell about 3.5 percent from 2007 levels, lowering congestion slightly from prior years.

Also, beginning in late 2008 and continuing into 2009 and 2010, federal stimulus funding contributed an additional 22 percent to funding resources.

North Dakota continued to lead the cost-effectiveness ratings, followed by Kansas, Wyoming, New Mexico and Montana. But some large states—notably Missouri, Texas and Georgia—were also top-12 performers. At the bottom were Alaska, Rhode Island, Hawaii, California and New Jersey. Most states continued to improve their systems, but increasingly, system performance problems seem to be concentrated in a few states:

  • Almost two-thirds of the poor-condition rural interstate mileage is in just five states: California, Alaska, Minnesota, New York and Colorado.
  • More than half (52.7 percent) of the poor-condition urban interstate mileage is in just five states: California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas.
  • Two states (Alaska and Rhode Island) reported more than 10 percent of their rural primary mileage to be in poor condition.
  • Four states (California, Minnesota, Maryland and Connecticut) reported more than two-thirds of their urban interstates congested.
  • Although bridge conditions are steadily improving, 20 states report more than one-quarter of their bridges are deficient, with one state (Rhode Island) reporting more than 50 percent of its bridges deficient. For 2010, 20 states again report more than one-quarter of their bridges are deficient, but none with more than 50 percent.
  • Most states are improving their fatality rates. One state (Montana) reports a fatality rate greater than 2.0 per 100 million vehicle-miles and nine other states report a rate greater than 1.5 fatalities per 100 million vehicle-miles. For 2010, nine states report a fatality rate greater than 1.5 with no states reporting a rate above 2.0.
  • Five states (Pennsylvania, Arkansas, West Virginia, Washington and Virginia) report more than one-quarter of their rural primary mileage with narrow lanes.

A widening gap seems to be emerging between most states that are making progress and a few states that are finding it difficult to improve. There is also increasing evidence that higher-level road systems (interstates, other freeways and principal arterials) are in better shape than lower-level road systems, particularly local roads.

Reason Foundation's 20th Annual Highway Report's overall performance and cost effectiveness rankings are:

1. North Dakota 10. Mississippi 19. North Carolina 27. Alabama 35. Louisiana 43. Massachusetts
2. Kansas 11. Texas 20. Delaware 28. Vermont 36. Arkansas 44. Connecticut
3. Wyoming 12. Georgia 21. Tennessee 29. Maine 37. Florida 45. New York
4. New Mexico 13. Oregon 22. Indiana 30. Michigan 38. Oklahoma 46. New Jersey
5. Montana 14. Kentucky 23. Arizona 31. Wisconsin 39. Pennsylvania 47. California
6. Nebraska 15. Virginia 24. Washington 32. West Virginia 40. Maryland 48. Hawaii
7. South Carolina 16. Nevada 25. Ohio 33. Iowa 41. Colorado 49. Rhode Island
8. Missouri 17. Idaho 26. Utah 34. Illinois 42. Minnesota 50. Alaska
9. South Dakota 18. New Hampshire  


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Published 7-5-13