America's $1.75 trillion public highway system is in jeopardy. Years of wear and tear, unrelenting traffic, an explosion of heavy trucks, deferred maintenance, harsh weather conditions, and soaring construction costs have taken their toll on America's roads. While the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 will provide $27 billion for highway projects, that money will barely make a dent in highway maintenance, preservation, and reconstruction needs. The recent AASHTO Bottom Line report documented the need for all levels of government to invest $166 billion each year in highways and bridges. More than half of that amount would be needed for system preservation. Saving America's highways demands more than short-term stimulus funds and quick fixes based on available funding. It will require a greater and smarter investment of transportation dollars to ensure a new and better transportation program. Only half of the nation's major roads are in good condition, based on an analysis of recent Federal Highway Administration data. The situation is worse in high traffic, urban areas where one in four roads is in poor condition. In some major urban centers, more than 60 percent of roads are in poor condition.


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    Title :

    Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later


    Publication date :

    2008


    Size :

    53 pages



    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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