Highway deaths drop to lowest level since 1950s

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Doesn't look like it from the photos. If they are, that means they rarely pave them or use a cheaper mixture of Asphalt.

Dude, you are not going to win this argument. I have traveled around the world and the first thing that stood out to me is the quality of roads here. Heck I have had to replace three windshields here in four years yet not replaced one in 28 years in AUS. Of course, our roadways are cleaned weekly there so that helps.

Granted, Texas roads are not as bad as other states.

We have the most popular roads in the country for truckers especially because of the quality...

I have seen bad areas throughout he states, but here they're overall good quality and they work to fix problems rather quickly if they arise.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I watched a program called "The Crumbling of America" the other week on the History Channel and lets just say it was a real eye opener about how US infrastructure is literally collapsing and outdated. From roads, railways, bridges, dams, sewers, pipes and levees the US is long overdue for a upgrade since the 50's. Problem is it would take $2.2trillion over the next five years to fix it! Those of you who think there is nothing wrong with the infrastructure in the US, think again.

zBSPcIGGcIc

I think a lot of it was a change in funding and how hard it is for States to fight for it now...

Highways used to be a 50/50 venture between the Federal Government and the states... Now it's a 90/10 thing.

States literally have to fight for federal funding, which is ridiculous.

Personally this is one of those times when I think states should step up and do things on their own... Which Texas does in many ways. Some people may not like some of our "toll roads" or turnpikes, but at the same time, it gets new roads up and built quickly when necessary.

[Ali G. 37]

I watched a program called "The Crumbling of America" the other week on the History Channel and lets just say it was a real eye opener about how US infrastructure is literally collapsing and outdated. From roads, railways, bridges, dams, sewers, pipes and levees the US is long overdue for a upgrade since the 50's. Problem is it would take $2.2trillion over the next five years to fix it! Those of you who think there is nothing wrong with the infrastructure in the US, think again.

zBSPcIGGcIc

Hey you are telling me. Come to DC and look at the rusted out bridges or the pothole cracked highways. What some here call socialism, is actually people investing in their country. They are right, the UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia does not have gonzillionaires like the US or even Mexico, what it does have is a fantastic quality of life for all. Only possible with the heavy investment into their country.

Like anything, the biggest hurdle here is actually convincing people like Paul that there is a problem. He seems to assume that the rest of the first world, as in everyone else, is stupid for investing int heir country - by means of collecting taxes.

Paul, like many, also denies the utterly disgraceful condition so many of the downtowns are in, when compared to their equivalents abroad.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Booyah

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Once again, readers say Pennsylvania has the nation’s worst roads, Texas the best.

Comedian W.C. Fields said: “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” According to the latest Overdrive Worst Roads survey,most truckers would rather not. On the whole, most would rather skip all of Pennsylvania.

For the second consecutive year and the fifth time in a decade, Pennsylvania leads our worst roads list. Among the chief complaints: the conditions of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-78 and I-80, and poor signage. The Turnpike, also known as I-76, is further ripped for its high tolls.

On the other hand, Texas Department of Transportation officials must be thrilled with their Highway Report Card showing. The Lone Star state again leads in best highways, most overnight parking, best roads and best truck stops.

PennDOT officials are confounded why the state that gave America Hershey bars, cheese steaks and the Declaration of Independence continues to get such a bad rap. Rich Kirkpatrick, spokesman for PennDOT, says his state spent $1.3 billion on highway and bridge projects in 2004. The budget for 2005 is at an equal pace, with $139 million going toward various I-95 projects in the Philadelphia area and $43 million slated for a reconstruction of I-80 near State College.

“We’re making progress,” Kirkpatrick says. And survey participants seem to have noticed: The much-maligned I-80 is second for most improved road and appears further down the best roads list. I-81 is fifth on the most improved list. Pennsylvania doesn’t appear among the top 3 in any “worst” category, except toughest inspections.

“If you look at the nationally recognized measures for pavement smoothness, the result does not in any way match what truckers are saying in the survey,” Kirkpatrick says. “And frankly, that has always mystified us.”

On the International Roughness Index, in which lower numbers are better, the commonwealth scored 103, just above the national median of 99, Kirkpatrick says.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission spokesman Carl DeFebo takes issue with the state’s worst roads ranking. His agency wrapped up two major projects in the past year and is spending $2 billion – culled from a toll increase implemented in 2004 – to completely renovate I-76 from end to end, he says.

Still, Pennsylvania leaves many truckers saddle sore. Owner-operator Bernard Linkhauer says Keystone State highways “will beat and bang you around.” The Pittsburgh-area resident says repairs along I-76 amount to a Band-Aid. “It looks good, and it lasts a little while, but then it’s back to square one again,” Linkhauer says.

He also dislikes I-76 for its tolls. From the New Jersey state line to the Ohio line, Linkhauer recently paid $110.

Complete Article: http://www.overdriveonline.com/worst-roads-go-west/

[Ali G. 37]

I think a lot of it was a change in funding and how hard it is for States to fight for it now...

Highways used to be a 50/50 venture between the Federal Government and the states... Now it's a 90/10 thing.

States literally have to fight for federal funding, which is ridiculous.

Personally this is one of those times when I think states should step up and do things on their own... Which Texas does in many ways. Some people may not like some of our "toll roads" or turnpikes, but at the same time, it gets new roads up and built quickly when necessary.

$1 per gallon in excise is not going to break the bank. What it will do is pay for the desperately needed infrastructure. Furthermore, it's a user pays tax which is more than fair enough.

The other thing we do in AUS ,is that 18 wheelers and beyond have to have an extra axle. in the back. Something that alleviates the pressure on the road. Once again, user pays...

[Ali G. 37]

I found something for you Paul. Inner-city Highway.. What do you think of the quality?

Edited March 11, 2010 by Booyah

[Obama 2012 1,714]

$1 per gallon in excise is not going to break the bank. What it will do is pay for the desperately needed infrastructure. Furthermore, it's a user pays tax which is more than fair enough.

The other thing we do in AUS ,is that 18 wheelers and beyond have to have an extra axle. in the back. Something that alleviates the pressure on the road. Once again, user pays...

See, I don't think that should be on a Federal level though... A state needs to take care of its own roads and decide its taxes.

I shouldn't have my highway funds being used in Maine, nor should Maine be have their funds used here. Texas right now only gets a 90% return on our Federal Gas taxes... Some states more than their fair share, some less... just depends.

Also states shouldn't be punished by losing a percentage of THEIR federal gas tax funds if they want to have things differently than 'suggested' Federally. For instance, the drinking age has to be 21 in every state, or that state loses 10% of their fundings (on top of whatever else they are not getting).

I found something for you Paul. Inner-city Highway.. What do you think of the quality?

It's fine, looks like a highway...

Though looks like a landslide would not be pretty there.

[Ali G. 37]

See, I don't think that should be on a Federal level though... A state needs to take care of its own roads and decide its taxes.

I shouldn't have my highway funds being used in Maine, nor should Maine be have their funds used here. Texas right now only gets a 90% return on our Federal Gas taxes... Some states more than their fair share, some less... just depends.

Also states shouldn't be punished by losing a percentage of THEIR federal gas tax funds if they want to have things differently than 'suggested' Federally. For instance, the drinking age has to be 21 in every state, or that state loses 10% of their fundings (on top of whatever else they are not getting).

The federal tax should pay for all of the interstates, as they are of national importance. Any money left over would then go to the states. The states themselves need to get their act together. Road safety is a matter of life or death, or even whether you end up paralyzed.

I have no issue with paying a dollar more in order to bring the infrastructure back up to first world grade. When you look at the video above, the state of our infrastructure is embarrassing. Remember the international meeting they had in Pittsburgh, the Chinese would have laughed when the saw the city. The importance of infrastructure is why China, India, Dubai, Australia, Canada etc are heavily investing in it. After all, it's what put America on the map after WWII and is directly tied into quality of life. Doesn't take a genius to connect the dots and realize as US infrastructure crumbles, so does the quality of life; hence the ghettos being a prime example.

Unfortunately, too many folks here are too prideful or ignorant to accept this and want to fix it. Instead, we are going to argue whether there is anything wrong with a rusted out old bridge. Time to start investing in America again and return it to its former glory, to being the envy of the world rather than the laughing stock of the world. Otherwise before you know it, China is going to overtake the US.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The federal tax should pay for all of the interstates, as they are of national importance. Any money left over would then go to the states. The states themselves need to get their act together. Road safety is a matter of life or death, or even whether you end up paralyzed.

I have no issue with paying a dollar more in order to bring the infrastructure back up to first world grade. When you look at the video above, the state of our infrastructure is embarrassing. Remember the international meeting they had in Pittsburgh, the Chinese would have laughed when the saw the city. The importance of infrastructure is why China, India, Dubai, Australia, Canada etc are heavily investing in it. After all, it's what put America on the map after WWII and is directly tied into quality of life. Doesn't take a genius to connect the dots and realize as US infrastructure crumbles, so does the quality of life; hence the ghettos being a prime example.

Unfortunately, too many folks here are too prideful or ignorant to accept this and want to fix it. Instead, we are going to argue whether there is anything wrong with a rusted out old bridge. Time to start investing in America again and return it to its former glory, to being the envy of the world rather than the laughing stock of the world. Otherwise before you know it, China is going to overtake the US.

I know what you're saying, but at the same time my point is that Texas; who has done what it can to keep our infrastructure healthy and replace what needs to be replace, expand what needs to be expanded, etc; should not be punished with an extra dollar gas tax to pay for those who haven't gotten their ####### in order. I wouldn't expect California to either (I believe their roads are a close second to Texas).

[Ban Hammer 13,427]

Now that's good news.

it dropped because everyone parked their toyotas.

I found something for you Paul. Inner-city Highway.. What do you think of the quality?

everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

it dropped because everyone parked their toyotas.

Well, at least all those that managed to bring them to a stop.

[Ban Hammer 13,427]

Well, at least all those that managed to bring them to a stop.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Go Toyota.

[Texanadian 10]

That picture that Booyah posted of the inner city highway....there are hardly any lines between lanes.

Concrete is used (at least in Houston) due to the heat island effect. Concrete roads are much cooler than blacktop roads. Being as we have the ultra high humidity to deal with, ambient temperatures don't drop at night like they do in drier desert climates. I've stepped outside at 2AM in the morning and it feels just as hot and ugly as it did at 6PM the day before. It feels weird that it's been dark for that long and still hot/muggy outside.

Personally I prefer blacktop roads for the comfort, smoothness, quietness. A lot of it depends on the vehicle you drive though. If you have a sports car with heavy duty suspension, concrete roads can be brutal. Driving an SUV or truck, it's not that bad.

As far as gas tax funding, there are HUGE problems with doing it at the federal level. Where is the money going to go? Easy. It's going to go to DC, Massachusetts, New York, etc. The states with less pull will get less. I used to see this when I lived in Canada. In the early 2000's, I found out that in Canada only 5% of the federal gas tax was being used on roads. And of that 5%, 95% of it was spent east of Manitoba. Essentially Quebec and Ontario with some sent to the maritime provinces. I lived out west in British Columbia. We got jack squat for federal gas tax funding. In BC, we have been spending more on roads than our provincial gas tax brings in. Not only that, but the federal government makes more money on gas tax when the price goes up. The formula is as such:

[price of gas + provincial gas tax + federal gas tax] x GST.

So not only does the Canadian federal government charge you GST on top of federal gas tax, but as the per litre price at the pump goes up, so does the GST amount collected. (Provincial and federal gas taxes are charged by a flat per litre amount.)

On the US side of things, as has been mentioned. The Federal government makes all sorts of rules for federal gas funding. Montana used to have a daytime speed limit of "reasonable and prudent." If you're in a high performance car and the weather is good, you could drive 100+ mph. The federal government cracked down on them for not having a defined speed limit. So Montana put in a 70 mph speed limit. Montana's accident rate went UP after instituting a speed limit.

New Hampshire is famous for turning down federal funding in order to not have a seat belt law. No state income tax and no state sales tax in NH either. My kinda place.

Was anybody a fan of the national 55 mph speed limit? I didn't think so. We have 80 mph speed limits in west Texas. Utah has the same in a few areas. Generally the western states have higher speed limits, while the north-eastern states have the slowest speed limits.

The best roads in the US that I've driven on had to be Montana's. Smooth. The corners are angled for speed. Traffic is extremely courteous. They move over if you come up behind them rather than you having to change lanes. Nobody tailgates. The police didn't seem too concerned about people doing 80-85 mph. I even passed one going 90.

Texas seemed to have more state troopers than all the other 7 states combined that I drove across on the way down here. (WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, NM, TX)