Report: R.I. ranks 47th in U.S. for highway performance

RHODE ISLAND ranked 47th in the U.S. in highway performance by the nonprofit Reason Foundation. Shown is the 6-10 connector, just south of Westminster Street in Providence, showing the temporary braces put in by R.I. Department of Transportation 15 years ago. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO
RHODE ISLAND ranked 47th in the U.S. in highway performance by the nonprofit Reason Foundation. Shown is the 6-10 connector, just south of Westminster Street in Providence, showing the temporary braces put in by R.I. Department of Transportation 15 years ago. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – Reason Foundation published its 22nd annual Highway Report on Thursday ranking all 50 states in terms of overall highway performance and cost effectiveness. The news isn’t good for Rhode Island, as its 47th ranking lands it only three spots higher than last place Alaska.
Massachusetts also landed in the bottom half among the states, ranking 26th. South Carolina ranks first.
Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report ranks every state’s highway system on pavement condition, traffic congestion, deficient bridges, traffic fatality rates, spending per-mile and more.

Rhode Island fared better in other categories, tying for first in rural Interstate pavement condition, ranking fifth in urban Interstate pavement condition, and seventh in fatality rate.
However, its worst rankings place it at the bottom of the list, if not dead last, ranking 49th in rural arterial pavement condition and 50th in deficient bridges. In urbanized area congestion, Rhode Island ranks 32nd.

On spending, Rhode Island ranks 45th in total disbursements per mile and 45th in administrative disbursements per mile.

Rhode Island’s state-controlled highway mileage makes it the 49th largest system.

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Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report is based on spending and performance data that state highway agencies submit themselves to the federal government. For information about the overall rankings, methodology, 11 performance measures used, and each state’s performance, visit reason.org/studies/show/22nd-annual-highway-report.

For additional information about an individual state, visit reason.org/studies/show/22nd-annual-highway-report-states.

Reason Foundation is a nonprofit think tank focused on infrastructure issues.

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