Rankings of US Highways

Tom,

Since 1984, per-mile total disbursements on state highways have increased by 262 percent. In 2007, U.S. states spent over $109 billion on state-owned highways, a 10 percent increase over 2006. But some states are doing a much better job with that money than others. Taxpayers in New York, Hawaii, New Jersey, California, Rhode Island and Alaska have the worst-performing highway systems in the nation.

Reason's new 18th Annual Highway Report looks at the performance of state highway systems from 1984-2007 (the latest year for which data is available). THe study examines state highway systems in 11 categories, including congestion, pavement condition, fatalities, deficient bridges and total spending.

You can see each states performance on this interactive map, and you can get the report and other information here.

Top-ranked North Dakota, which has had the best performing system each year since 2001, scored well by having the least interstate and rural mileage in poor condition and ranking first in maintenance spending. New Mexico continues its impressive improvement. The state was 27th in 2000, but now ranks 2nd in overall performance and cost-effectiveness. Kansas is 3rd overall, South Carolina, with one of the largest state-owned highway systems in the country, is 4th and Montana rounds out the top five.

Delaware posted the biggest improvement in the overall rankings, moving from 28th to 11th by cutting spending without sacrificing road condition. Michigan improved from 42nd to 30th thanks to an improvement in rural pavement condition. Mississippi also posted double-digit gains.

Four states fell in the overall rankings by double-digits - Missouri, Oregon, Vermont and Indiana, which fell 16 spots, from 15th to 31st, because of a sharp decline in urban interstate condition and an increase in spending per mile.

The bottom line is that these comparisons highlight where some states have substantially improved the condition of their highway system, and where some have allowed major decline. Taxpayers and leaders in poor performing states should be demanding change.

Adrian
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Dr. Adrian Moore
Vice President
Reason Foundation
(661)477-3107




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