What is the condition of the nations highway network?
There are two measures that are used to assess the condition of the nation’s highways. One focuses on physical conditions, i.e., whether the roadways and bridges are in good repair. The other focuses on performance, i.e., whether the system is providing adequate transportation services to meet the nation’s needs. Unfortunately, U.S. highways do poorly under either measure. Back to Top Physical Conditions The Federal Highway Administration tracks the state of repair on 934,601 miles of major highways that are eligible for federal aid. In 2006, they found that 161,368 miles, or 17.3 percent, were in poor or mediocre condition and needed repaving or even more substantive repairs. Highways in rural areas are in somewhat better condition than those in urban areas. Urban highways carry more traffic and thus get more wear and tear. The nation’s Interstate Highways are in relatively good condition, with only two percent of rural miles and five percent of urban miles in poor or mediocre repair.
