Title: Washington Post
Headings: Where America’s worst roads are — and how much they’re costing us
Where America’s worst roads are — and how much they’re costing us
Content: For drivers in Oklahoma and California, the costs add up to over $760 per year. People in most states are paying around $400 or $500 extra. In two states -- Minnesota and Tennessee -- these extra costs add up to less than $300. Advertisement
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One main reason why our roads are in such bad shape is that we haven't been putting enough money into the Highway Trust Fund to keep up with infrastructure needs. And a reason why we haven't been putting enough money into the Highway Trust Fund is that the federal gasoline tax has remained at 1993 levels. Raising the tax is politically unpopular for the obvious reason that nobody likes tax hikes. But these numbers make it clear that nobody's getting a free ride. " Public agencies are the people who build and maintain the highway system," Rocky Moretti, TRIP's Director of Policy and Research told me. " But when it's in lousy shape, it becomes a private cost." And ounce of prevention's worth a pound of cure.