S.L. roads ranked among U.S.'s top 5
Study inspected nation's 70 metropolitan areas
Those four cities have the highest percentage of urban roads and highways in "unacceptable" condition, according to a recent study by TRIP, a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C., and funded by the transportation industry.
The same study found that of the nation's 70 metropolitan areas with a population of 500,000 or more, the Salt Lake City area ranks among the top five in terms of urban road conditions.
In Kansas City, 71 percent of the roads are in "unacceptable" condition, while only 2 percent of the roads in the Salt Lake City area are that bad. Only the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area in Florida and the Atlanta metro area have fewer roads in poor condition than Salt Lake City, according to the report.
The report also found 25 percent of the Salt Lake area's roads are in mediocre shape, 40 percent are in fair shape and 33 percent are in good condition. However, 28 of the 70 metro areas in the study did have a higher percentage of roads in "good" condition than Salt Lake City.
However, she said, even with just 2 percent of roads in critical condition, the average Salt Lake Valley motorist is spending an extra $197 a year on vehicle operating costs associated with those bad roads. And if more public funds were spent to improve those roads, taxpayers would benefit in the long run, she said.
"That $200 is basically due to the way that rough road beats up your car," Bonifas said. "It's vehicle depreciation, increased tire wear and additional fuel costs. . . . If they (state and local officials) make an investment for upkeep, then it saves the drivers' money long-term."
She acknowledged many states have had funding difficulties in recent years, particularly California, which has five metropolitan areas among the 10 cities with the highest percentage of roads in poor condition.
Utah Department of Transportation spokesman Nile Easton said the percentage of roads in "unacceptable" condition statewide is only 6 percent, ranking Utah "well above the national average."
Easton said UDOT, and the state lawmakers who provide funding, have taken a proactive approach toward making sure Utah's existing roadways are kept in the best possible shape.
"We have a very aggressive pavement preservation program," Easton said. "We spend close to 40 million dollars a year preserving what we have because we've learned over time that paying now, in small amounts of money, is a lot cheaper than paying millions of dollars to completely rebuild roads later."
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