The Road Improvement Program (TRIP) recently reported that pavement on 32 percent of America’s roadways is in substandard condition. That results in very rough rides for motorists. Vehicles don’t hold up well under constant jarring and tires don’t last long either…but that’s only a fraction of the real cost for motorists. The accelerating deterioration of the roads costs about $112 billion per year. That’s an average annual cost of $523 per driver before any thought has been given to the costs of vehicle maintenance, time lost because of traffic congestion and the long-term effects of pollution fallout.
Although a new federal Surface Transportation Act was approved by Congress last December, it didn’t provide a permanent solution for transportation infrastructure needs. Long-term funding for state and local transportation projects continues to dwindle. That trend is expected to continue.
President-elect Donald Trump pledged a $1 trillion infrastructure plan during his campaign for the presidency. That may become a reality…or it may not. But, many local officials aren’t waiting to see if he makes good on that promise. Just last week, $201 billion in transportation project spending was approved by local voters in 22 states, including Texas.
San Antonio, with a population of more than 500,000, ranks highest among Texas cities for vehicle operating costs per person. Those costs are projected to be $791 annually per motorist. TRIP reports 41 percent of San Antonio’s major urban roads as being in poor condition. Only 14 percent are rated as good.
That’s still well below the annual operating costs for vehicles in Oklahoma City, which has the highest of similar-sized cities in the U.S. Oklahoma City drivers pay $1,025 annually to provide necessary maintenance on their vehicles because of road conditions. Fifty-three percent of major roads in Oklahoma City are in poor condition.
Houston drivers pay the second highest per-person cost in Texas for annual vehicle operating costs – $580. Twenty-six percent of the roadways in Houston are rated as poor and 31 percent are rated as good. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area rates similarly, with 19 percent of those roads in poor condition. In Austin, 15 percent of the urban roads are in poor condition and another 38 percent are listed as mediocre.
Many cities nationwide have asked voters to approve multi-million-dollar bond referendums for transportation funding. Citizens have been supportive and during the last decade, 74 percent of transportation-related ballot measures have been approved.
In Amarillo, the city asked voters recently to approve seven bond propositions with a combined price tag of $340 million. Only two of the seven propositions passed but one of those that passed was valued at $89.5 million and it was transportation-related.
Austin is another city that decided not to wait on state or federal assistance. The city passed a $720 million transportation bond package. The referendum includes $101 million for regional road projects and $482 million for implementation of seven transportation corridor plans.
The city of Bellaire passed $53.9 million in bonding authority, with part of that going toward street improvements. Port Aransas and Granite Shoals voters also passed bond elections that include funding for road and street projects.
Every example is indicative of strong support from taxpayers who want the country’s roadways to be safe and well maintained. The momentum is there, the support is evident and a new president says he will lead the charge. Taxpayers should feel good about the outlook.
The construction industry should also feel good about the prospect that the federal government may take the lead in improving the nation’s transportation infrastructure. If that happens, there will be an abundance of projects of every type and size being launched in the very near future.
Motorists, voters and taxpayers have sent a strong message to political leaders – fix the country’s transportation infrastructure.
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