RI Roads Among Nation's Worst: Report

The 2019 Annual Highway Report by the Reason Foundation presents troubling findings for the condition of America’s highway system: states can barely keep up with necessary repairs on bridges and freeway pavement, while urban congestion is worsening. Rhode Island drivers will not be surprised to learn that the state ranked near the bottom among the 50 states in the overall condition of its bridges and main roads.

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

Rhode Island ranked 48th overall; in category rankings, the Ocean State was 45th in total disbursements per mile, 5oth in the condition of urban arteries, 49th in the condition of rural arteries and 50th in the condition of its bridges. On the plus side, however, Rhode Island ranked first in the condition of its rural interstates and had the second-lowest overall fatality rate in the country, after Massachusetts.

"Compared to nearby states, the report finds Rhode Island’s overall highway performance is worse than New Hampshire (24th), New York (45th) and Massachusetts (46th),” said Baruch Feigenbaum, lead author of the Annual Highway Report and assistant director of transportation at Reason Foundation. “Rhode Island is doing better than some comparable states such as New Jersey (50th), but worse than other comparable states such as Connecticut (44th).”

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 State. 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 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