Louisiana ranks third for the worst roads in America according to Consumer Affairs. Their study looked at the D+ grade Louisiana received from the American Society of Civil Engineers for its poor road conditions and pavement roughness.
Deputy Editor at Consumer Affairs, Cassidy McCants, says they also found Louisiana does not spend enough money on its roads.
“So among the southeast states, its in the bottom three for per capita expenditure on roads,” said McCants.
Louisiana has 61,300 miles of public roads, and 46 perceent of the major roadways are in mediocre condition, according to government data analyzed by TRIP, The Road Information Project.
McCants says drivers are paying for Louisiana’s poor roads, because of the wear and tear on their vehicles.
“It cost people money to drive on bad roads," said McCants. "An average of $658 per year in Louisiana related to bad road conditions, per driver.”
McCants says they also surveyed a few residents, and one driver blames the poor road conditions on the state relying on quick fixes like “patch repairs,” rather than fixes made to last.
She says another reason for Louisiana’s poor ranking is the number of traffic fatalities.
“1.42 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, and the U.S. average is actually 1.11 per 100 million miles,” said McCants.
Hawaii came in the worst roads, and Rhode Island ranked second in the report. New Hampshire is the state with the survey's best-rated roads.