Study Gives State Roads High Marks

Drivers on city and county roads may complain but those who use state roads in Mississippi could find the going much worse in other states. A new study gives the state high marks for its spending on the state road system.

Mississippi ranks 8th in the nation in overall highway performance and cost-effectiveness in the latest Annual Highway Report by Reason Foundation. This is an improvement over 2009 and 2011 when Mississippi ranked 10th.

Mississippi ranks 43rd in fatality rate, 21st in deficient bridges, 30th in rural Interstate pavement condition, 6th in urban Interstate pavement condition and 2nd in urban Interstate congestion.

On spending, Mississippi ranks 15th in total disbursements per mile and 16th in administrative disbursements per mile.

Mississippi’s best rankings are urban Interstate congestion (2nd), maintenance disbursements per mile (5th) and urban Interstate pavement condition (6th).

Mississippi’s worst rankings are fatality rate (43rd) and rural Interstate pavement condition (30th).

Mississippi’s state-controlled highway mileage makes it the 26th largest system.

Mississippi’s Complete Results

Overall Rank in 2012: 8th
Overall Rank in 2011: 10th
Overall Rank in 2009: 10th

Performance by Category in 2012

Total Disbursements per Mile
15

Capital and Bridge Disbursements per Mile
18

Maintenance Disbursements per Mile
5

Administrative Disbursements per Mile
16

Rural Interstate Pavement Condition
30

Rural Arterial Pavement Condition
7

Urban Interstate Pavement Condition
6

Urban Interstate Congestion
2

Deficient Bridges
21

Fatality Rate
43

Narrow Rural Arterial Lanes
28

Overall Performance
8

For more on your state’s results, visit:
http://reason.org/studies/show/21st-annual-highway-report-states

The complete Annual Highway Report is here:
http://reason.org/studies/show/21st-annual-highway-report

Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report is based on the most recent spending and performance data submitted by state highway agencies to the federal government.