Here’s How Minnesota Ranks Among Nation’s Highway Systems

MINNESOTA — The 2019 Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report presented a troubling finding for the condition of America’s highway system — our freeways are deteriorating, and bridges, Interstates pavement, and roads are in much need of repair.

The report was based on data that states submitted to the federal government, which ranks each state’s highway system in 14 categories, including total spending per mile, urban fatality rate on the road, and congestion.

Our state ranks 22nd in overall performance and cost-effectiveness rankings. Minnesota also ranked 25th in total disbursements per mile, and 31st in capital and bridge disbursements per mile.

North Dakota took home the top overall spot on the list for the second year in a row, whereas New Jersey ranked the 50th overall highway system in the United States. Virginia had the biggest improvement overall from last year, as it jumped 25 spots from its previous 27th ranking, all the way into second place.

Here’s how Minnesota did across the 11 other metrics:

• Maintenance Disbursements Per Mile: 29th
• Administrative Disbursements Per Mile: 23rd
• Rural Interstate Pavement Condition: 35th
• Urban Interstate Pavement Condition: 40th
• Rural Arterial Pavement Condition: 25th
• Urban Arterial Pavement Condition: 6th
• Urbanized Area Congestion: 41st
• Structurally Deficient Bridges: 11th
• Overall Fatality Rate: 3rd
• Rural Fatality Rate: 6th
• Urban Fatality Rate: 4th

According to the study:

"Minnesota’s highway system ranks 22nd in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, according to the Annual Highway Report by Reason Foundation. This is a three- spot increase from the previous report, where Minnesota ranked 25th overall."

"In safety and performance categories, Minnesota ranks 3rd in overall fatality rate, 11th in structurally deficient bridges, 41st in traffic congestion, 40th in urban Interstate pavement condition and 35th in rural Interstate pavement condition."

"On spending, Minnesota ranks 25th in total spending per mile and 31st in capital and bridge costs per mile."

Here are the top ten overall states in highway performance and cost-effectiveness:

1. North Dakota
2. Virginia
3. Missouri
4. Maine
5. Kentucky
6. Kansas
7. Tennessee
8. Montana
9. Utah
10. Alabama

With every ranking that includes a top ten, there’s also a bottom 10 — here are the ten worst highway systems by state:

40. Florida
41. Oklahoma
42. Delaware
43. California
44. Connecticut
45. New York
46. Massachusetts
47. Hawaii
48. Rhode Island
49. Alaska
50. New Jersey