DALLAS -- Some states are falling further behind on needed highway maintenance and repair projects even after a 12% increase on state road spending since 2009, according to a new analysis from the Reason Foundation.
The foundation's 21st annual nationwide highway spending and performance report shows most states are gaining some ground in whittling down the number of deficient bridges and deteriorating roads, while others are struggling to make significant upgrades.
"A widening gap seems to be emerging between most states that are making progress, and a few states that are finding it difficult to improve," the report said. "There is also increasing evidence that higher-level road systems (Interstates, other freeways and principal arterials) are in better shape than lower-level road systems, particularly local roads."
The foundation, which promotes what it calls "libertarian principles, including individual liberty, free markets, and the rule of law," noted that the increase in total expenditures for state-owned roads exceeds the inflation rate.
Spending on the 812,000 miles of state-owned roads totaled $132 billion of state and federal expenditures in 2012, up 6.3% from $126 billion in 2011, but totals varied widely from state to state, the report said.
More money going to state highways has resulted in very little progress in improving their condition, said David T. Hartgen, who has been lead author of Reason Foundation's road report since 1984.
"Many of the easiest repairs and fixes to state highway and bridge systems have already been made and the rate of progress is slowing down," Hartgen said. "A widening gap also seems to be emerging between states that are still making improvements and a few states that are really falling behind on highway maintenance and repairs."
Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota had the most cost-effective state highway systems in 2012 based on expenditures compared to road condition improvements, the report said, with Hawaii, Alaska, and New Jersey maintaining the least cost-effective systems.
Texas and Missouri were also in the top 12 most efficient systems, with Georgia and Ohio close behind.
South Carolina and West Virginia spent the least on their highway systems, with $39,000 of expenditures per mile of state road in 2012, while New Jersey spent more than $2 million per mile. States laying out more than $500,000 per state-controlled mile include Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, and Florida.
Similar swings were found on administrative costs, which might be siphoning away money that otherwise could be dedicated to road repairs, Hartgen said. Hawaii reported $90,000 of administrative costs for every mile of state road to take the top spot in the survey, while Connecticut came in second with $77,000 per mile.
Kentucky had the lowest administrative cost of less than $1,000 per mile, followed by Texas at $4,000 per mile of state road.
Despite a slight improvement in the pavement condition of urban Interstates, with 5% of the mileage in poor condition compared with 5.2% in 2011, those roads are in the same condition as in 2009. Interstate highways in rural areas and urban arterial roads posted declines in condition.
Almost half of poor-condition Interstate mileage is located in six states, the report said, and eight states reported that half of their urban freeways are congested.
The number of deficient state bridges continues to decline, though more 20% are still deficient or functionally obsolete, the report said. More than 50% of the bridges in Rhode Island are deficient, and six other states assessed more than a third of their bridges as deficient.
The Reason Foundation report is based on filings by state highway agencies with the Federal Highway Administration for fiscal 2012.
Standard & Poor's reported last week that state debt issuance has remained below average levels even though governments have large infrastructure needs.
