Go to any major metropolitan area and ask commuters what condition their city's network of roads and highways are in and you are likely to hear that they are among the "worst in the country." If there is one thing common to just about everyone on the road everywhere, it is frustration with an apparently decaying roadway infrastructure and seemingly endless cycle of construction that would make even Eisenhower himself flinch.
The fact of the matter is that not everyone can really accurately boast that they truly have the worst roads, as in the type that is more scarred and battered than an insurgent runway and filled with potholes so large they could swallow a Volkswagen whole. A recent article in Michigan tried to quantify the cost to MI drivers and came up with a figure of $7 billion per year in wasted time, fuel, additional traffic accidents and vehicle maintenance & repair which, is an estimate I can personally attest to.
$7 billion per year, that equates to roughly $800 per driver. We know they are spending that much fixing the roads. The scariest part, however, is that according to a poll by truckers, Michigan doesn't even have the worst roads. As a matter of fact, they come in only at number 4, behind Louisiana, Missouri and the state with the absolute driving surface, Pennsylvania.
At least Michigan has an excuse. In addition to having to deal with changing seasons, using the roadways to beat up cars is a somewhat symbolic way to get people to buy more (hopefully domestic) vehicles. As a note, the state ranked with the best roads are Texas, Florida and Tennessee. The thing about Florida, however, is that it also enjoys the reputation for having both the most dangerous stretch of road anywhere in the country, US-19, as well as the most road rage anywhere (Miami).
So, apparently the road to oblivion will at least be a nice one.
To see how some additional states fair in the best and worst list, click here.
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