These are the states with the worst roads in the US
A new report highlights the terrible condition of major road and highway systems across the US. Which state’s infrastructure is in the worst condition?
Earlier this year, Democrats and a small group of Republicans passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which provides billions for states to modernize their infrastructure systems, including a large focus on fixing up the country’s roads and bridges.
After the bill was passed, the White House noted the “poor condition” of the nation’s infrastructure, including “1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges.” However, some states have taken better care of their road systems than others, and a recent analysis conducted by Money Geek provides a clearer picture of the differences across the country.
The new report highlight that federal funds could not come at a more critical time. The researchers at Money Geek found that in nine states, more than a quarter of roads are in “poor condition,” but sadly, they did not define how that category was determined.
States where 25 percent or more of roads are in poor condition:
- California: 44 percent
- Rhode Island: 41 percent
- Nebraska: 33 percent
- Massachusetts: 31 percent
- New York: 30 percent
- Wisconsin: 28 percent
- Louisiana: 26 percent
- New Jersey: 26 percent
- Hawaii: 25 percent.
Additionally, the research team looked at roads that are in “good condition” and ranked Alabama (75 percent), New Hampshire (74 percent), Georgia (72 percent), and Florida (71 percent) the highest.
Which states spend the most on their highway systems?
The Urban Institute recently published data from 2020 on how much each state spent on its highways per capita.
Those with the highest per capita expenditures are Alaska ($1,858), North Dakota ($1,549), South Dakota ($1,366), Wyoming ($1,366), and Vermont ($1,082). It is unsurprising that these extremely rural states with low population density would see the highest per capita costs to maintain their highway system.
Much more populated states tend to spend less on a per capita basis:
- Arizona: $425
- Tennessee: $427
- Missouri: $449
- South Carolina: 462
- Louisiana: $469
- Georgia: $471
- New Jersey: $472
- Massachusetts: $475
- Alabama: $525
- New York: $527
The only states that make the lists of worst roads and lowest per capita spending are Louisiana, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Poor road quality can increase vehicle maintenance costs for drivers, and in many states improving the roads is a common rallying cry during elections. In Louisana, the government said that poor condition of the “roads costs the average Louisiana driver $625 annually in additional vehicle operating costs – a total of $2.1 billion statewide.”