Long-term lack of investment has left over 40% of U.S. roads are in poor or mediocre condition, forcing individual motorists to pay over $1,000 per year in wasted time and fuel.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2021 Infrastructure Report Card,
America’s roads are critical for moving an ever-increasing number of people and goods. However, these vital lifelines are frequently underfunded, and over 40% of the system is now in poor or mediocre condition. As the backlog of rehabilitation needs grows, motorists are forced to pay over $1,000 every year in wasted time and fuel. Additionally, while traffic fatalities have been on the decline, over 36,000 people are still dying on the nation’s roads every year, and the number of pedestrian fatalities is on the rise. Federal, state, and local governments will need to prioritize strategic investments dedicated to improving and preserving roadway conditions that increase public safety on the system we have in place, as well as plan for the roadways of the future, which will need to account for connected and autonomous vehicles.
The World Economic Forum ranks countries' roads (and other markers) yearly on the basis of surveys of business executives in each country. Despite its high reliance on roads (versus rail and ship transport), the U.S. is 17th in the WEF's 2019 Country Rankings.