Maryland’s and the District’s highway systems are among the worst in the nation in terms of quality and cost, while Virginia’s major roads have performed much better, according to a new report.
Maryland’s state-managed highway system ranks 43rd out of 50 states’, according to an annual highway study by the Reason Foundation, a public policy research organization.
The foundation assembled its rankings based on criteria including pavement condition, road congestion, and costs of highway maintenance, administration and construction programs.
The report also calls out the District’s highway system as one of America’s poorest performers.
“Washington, D.C.’s system has one of the lowest fatality rates in the country, but its pavement condition, congestion and deficient bridges are among the [nation’s] worst,” the report says.
District Department of Transportation spokesman John Lisle questioned the report after a “cursory review.”
“The fact is we are making an unprecedented investment in our infrastructure, including our highways,” he said.
Virginia’s highway system checks in at No. 18, well ahead of other local highway systems but six slots worse than its No. 12 ranking a year ago.
The report blames Maryland’s poor ranking on traffic congestion and per-mile spending, which were among the worst in the country in 2008, the latest period for which the foundation has data.
Maryland spent on average more than $400,000 for maintenance, administration and construction on each mile of its roughly 5,400-mile highway system. Only six states spent more per mile, according to the report. Maryland transportation officials did not respond requests for comment Tuesday evening.
Virginia spent roughly $61,000 per mile. But at almost 58,000 miles, Virginia’s system was the third-largest in the country, trailing North Carolina and Texas for the number of miles of highway state transportation officials had to manage.
“VDOT is working to address these challenges,” said Jeff Caldwell, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Transportation. “We are currently reviewing our operations and maintenance programs to ensure all available funds are out on the street addressing substandard pavement and deficient bridges and infrastructure.”
The average amount spent per mile of highway nationwide was about $145,000.
“The overall condition of the state-owned highway system has never been in better shape,” the report says, citing nationwide drops in highway fatalities and improved rural and urban pavement surfaces as factors.
North Dakota’s has been the top-performing highway system on the foundation’s list the past five years. Rhode Island’s system finished last, trailed closely by Alaska’s and California’s. All three state’s highway systems are perennial poor performers.
Anna Waugh contributed to this report.
