Ranking the Roads

Reason Foundation has released their annual ranking on the peformance of state highway systems. Pennsylvania ranks middle to low on most performance measures, but - this may suprise many who listen to Governor Rendell talk about how we need so much more money - Pennsylvania has revenues of $128,000 per mile, more twice as much as North Dakota (ranked #1) and and three times as much a South Carolina (#6).

Pennsylvania ranked 36th in overall performance and cost-effectiveness. In last year’s rankings, Pennsylvania ranked 36th overall. Pennsylvania is 18th in urban interstate congestion, with 41.05 percent congested. The state ranks 27th in rural interstate condition and 24th in urban interstate condition. Pennsylvania ranks 49th in deficient bridges—39.77 percent of the state’s bridges are deemed structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Pennsylvania is 24th in the nation in fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.