There has been a lot of talk about infrastructure lately, with lots of bills being introduced and debated in congress. And there is a lot to consider when it comes to infrastructure. Consider that the U.S. Interstate Highway system is nearly 65 years old. Not only that, but it is also usually horribly congested and is breaking down in many places. To make matters worse, states simply don’t have the funds to make adequate repairs and improvements.
In fact, a recent report prepared by the Transportation Research Board, many issues interstate users are dealing with right now. The report, called America’s Highway System at 65: Meeting America’s Transportation Needs with a Reliable, Safe & Well-Maintained National Highway Network, took a hard look at the state of the nation’s roads and highways. Now the question is, what exactly is in the report.
A Critical Eye to the Nation’s Infrastructure
According to the report, the U.S. Interstate system has a growing list of problems, deficiencies and backlogs that need to be addressed. A lot of this is the result of age, heavy use, and deferred investment for improvements and necessary repairs. It is not a big secret that the Interstate system is in heavy need of modernization and reconstruction. The report concludes that annual investment in the Interstate Highway System should be increased from $23 billion to $57 billion annually over the next couple of decades.
One of the main issues with the Interstate system is congestion. The report found that from 2000 to 2019, Interstate Highway travel increased by 26%. Consider that this increase is triple the rate at which new lane capacity was added, during the same timeframe. Obviously, there are way more people on the highways than the highways can actually handle.
Due to this massive increase and no offset improvements to account for it, nearly half of all urban Interstate highways are considered congested during peak travel times. And while the COVID-19 pandemic caused a big drop in vehicle travel on highways (by almost half), traffic eventually rebounded and came in only 5% below peak 2019 levels.
It also appears the combination truck travel on Interstate Highways has increased dramatically, from 43% from 2000 to 2019. Even standard passenger vehicle traffic increased, as more people were coming out of lockdown and ready to get in their cars and hit the road. This fourth of July, road travel is expected to hit all-time highs.
Which Interstate Highways are the Worst?
The report also assigns a ranking to the Interstate Highways systems that it deems the most congested, have seen the most share of Interstate travel, and are busiest based on a daily per lane travel statistic. It also assigns a ranking to highway systems that have the largest share of pavement in bad condition and the most structurally deficient bridges.
If there is one takeaway from this report, it is that the nations Interstate Highway system is full of problems. And seeing as how critical it is to the supply chain, these problems need to be addressed quickly. There is a dollar value attached to breakdowns on the highway. Around $75 billion in annual costs are added to trucking companies and supply chain businesses due to breakdowns. Additionally, 67 million tons of excess carbon dioxide emissions are released into the atmosphere as a result.
The report only shines a light on how serious this issue has become, and how fraught. It also shows how Congress will need to act to fix these problems. Yet as we have seen in previous discussions around infrastructure, whether that will actually happen is up for debate. The ATA and other trucking industry advocacy groups are calling for an equitable user-based revenue system to add needed funds to fix up the nation’s infrastructure.
Recommended Repairs and Improvements
The TRIP report also provides recommendations on the different types of repairs and improvements that will be required. It finds that while pavement smoothness on most highway segments is acceptable, the foundations of most highway systems are crumbling and will need to be completely reconstructed, which is not a small job.
It also points out that stakeholders should not be content with mere resurfacing. Since the problems go all the way to the foundations of the highways, it is the underlying foundational issues that must be addressed. If only resurfacing is done, then we will wind up facing the same problems again further down the road. If that were the case, trucking companies would experience lower returns and smaller intervals of smooth pavement.
Another issue is with the highway interchanges themselves. Many of them will need to be rebuilt or replaces entirely. According to the report, pavements on approximately 11% of the Interstate highway system is in poor or mediocre condition. Three percent are rates in poor or structurally deficient condition, and just over half, 57%, are rated in fair condition. This leaves very few that are actually rated good or excellent.
The current federal surface transportation program, called the FAST Act, expired on September 30, 2020. At the time, it was the only source for federal funding for Interstate highways and roads. And while it was extended by Congress to September 30, 2021, it will need to be reauthorized yet again.
What the nation needs is a new law, or a reauthorization of a long-term, adequately funded, and reliable long-term federal program. There will need to be real conviction on the part of lawmakers to ensure that the highway system is appropriately funded for a long time to come. The TRIP report noted that the only way we can see progress is if the federal government backs a strong program that restores the Interstate system to its prior glory.
What Happens Now?
Fortunately, a set of recommendations did come out of the report, which include:
- The foundational reconstruction of Interstate highways, bridges, and interchanges.
- Improvement to roadway safety features.
- System right-sizing, including upgrading of some roadway corridors to Interstate standards.
- Adding needed additional highway capacity on existing routes.
- Adding additional corridors.
- Modifying some urban segments to maintain connectivity while remediating economic and social disruption.
A Lot Must Be Done
IT is certainly without doubt that the United States took a generation off from investing in infrastructure improvements. And with Americans driving more than ever before, we are seeing problems multiply, from congestions issues to costly repair bills for passenger vehicle drivers and trucking companies alike.
Fortunately, some states are doing what they can. Florida has launched a $2 billion effort to reconstruct 21 miles of Florida’s Interstate 4, as one example. Considering Orlando is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S., this work is long overdue. The project has also uncovered the various other problems that plague big infrastructure projects. From sewer lines to water mains and storm drains, improving just 21 miles of highway is about a lot more than just laying pavement. This while you must ensure people and businesses can still travel on the roadway.
Still, there is only so much states can do. The original purpose of the highway system has certainly fulfilled its mandate, but now the country must move beyond piecemeal fixes and take a big picture look at the state of the nation’s roads and highways and come together on a solution.
The problem with the stopgap proposals Congress has been coming up with is that they don’t fully account for the fact that most of the Interstate Highway System must be completely rebuilt. Maintenance and resurfacing can only get you so far. Many transportation researchers estimate the price tag to fully rebuild the highway system could run up to $1 trillion. Others have estimated it could cost as much as $3 trillion.
While the infrastructure bills currently in Congress come close to these numbers, many expect them to be watered down before they reach the President’s desk for a signature. Should that happen, it is highly likely the work that needs to be done will not actually get done, which will leave us right back at square one. Many are hopeful that Congress can come together to pass a comprehensive solution. After all, it will be what is necessary to address the ongoing and intractable problem of a failing Interstate Highway System not able to meet the standards that were set for it when it was created. Only time will tell if that happens.