In this article, we will be navigating through the transportation infrastructure in America, companies improving this infrastructure and the 15 states with the best roads in the US. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 States with the Best Roads in the US.
Transit Analysis Across the US
A comprehensive interstate highway network spans the United States. The roadways across the country accommodate high traffic volumes. As reported by the Federal Highway Administration, travel for the month of August was estimated to be 288.4 billion vehicle miles. This includes 92 billion vehicle miles on rural roads and 196.4 billion vehicle miles on urban roads and streets.
Bridges and structures serve to be important elements of the US roadway system. The Federal Highway Administration allocates an annual funding of approximately $7 billion to support transportation agencies in planning, designing, and maintaining these bridges and structures. Hence, the US offers transport connectivity and safety to the residents through the extensive road network.
Unpaved and poor quality roads are deemed dangerous since they can lead to costly car repairs as well as collisions which could be fatal. In 2021, the United States witnessed 39,508 fatal motor vehicle crashes which resulted in 42,939 deaths. However, the United States continues to make substantial investments in its road infrastructure to avoid such mishaps. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as initiated by the Biden government, will be providing $550 billion in federal investment in roads, bridges, mass transit, water infrastructure, resilience, and broadband between 2022 and 2026. The National Roadway Safety Strategy is also in place to address serious and fatal injuries on roads. This strategy has been used to disseminate public safety information regarding risky driving and prioritize lighting along corridors to improve road safety. A speed management program has also been implemented to ensure pedestrian and bicyclist safety in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
Companies Contributing to American Transport Infrastructure
Several American companies participate in projects focused on enhancing roadway networks across the US. Some of these include Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRL), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J), and Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD).
Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRL) offers transportation solutions across the US which include infrastructure projects for bridges, roads, and highways. On October 31, the company reported Transportation Solutions Awards totaling over $470 million for the fiscal third quarter of 2023. Earlier in May, Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:STR) announced that its subsidiary, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, LLC (RLW), was awarded a $216 million design-build contract for the Bangerter South Highway Interchanges Project by the Utah Department of Transportation. W.W. Clyde & Co., Inc. was named as the joint venture partner with Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, LLC (RLW) for the project. It encompasses three interchanges and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J) is an American multinational company providing engineering, construction and technical services. The company engages in transit-oriented development projects to make regions sustainable and inclusive in terms of transportation. On October 25, the company reported that it was selected for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Transit Program. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J) will be providing consulting to support METRO in achieving its mobility goals for the county. The project primarily aims at improving mobility through METRO in Houston. More than 200,000 people who use METRO’s services daily are expected to benefit from the improved connectivity. You can also take a look at the best US cities for public transportation and the best cities for public transportation in the world.
Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) is a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company which is involved in the construction and maintenance of roads across the United States. Its business includes publicly funded projects related to interstate highways and local roadways. The company continues to expand across the country to serve local markets with a need for its services. On November 1, Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) reported the acquisition of three hot-mix Asphalt Plants and related construction operations in North and South Carolina. Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) expanded its business to North Carolina, Rock Hill and South Carolina since the markets offer good economic conditions and require infrastructure services which the company specializes in.
Now that we have taken a look at road transit in the United States, let’s move to the 15 states with the best roads in the country.
15 States with the Best Roads in the US
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 15 states with the best roads in the US, we referred to the transportation data published by official US sources for better coverage. The condition of roadways is commonly measured by the International Roughness Index which depicts the road surface roughness. A higher IRI value indicates a rougher road surface and poor road quality. This metric has been sourced from Highway Statistics 2020 from the Federal Highway Association. This index represents the latest data on the US states in terms of road quality by giving the extent of pavement roughness for both rural and urban roads. We have cited the proportion of rural and urban roads which are rough as a measure of road quality. A priority-based ranking has been done by giving primary priority to rural pavement roughness and secondary priority to urban pavement roughness. The rationale behind this approach is that urban roads connecting city centers are in better condition as compared to the local rural roads connecting the neighborhoods. As reported by the US Department of Transportation, rural roadways are a significant portion of the highway system in the United States. Crashes on rural roads also tend to be severe as rural collectors and local roads tend to be deprived of features such as paved shoulders, clear zones, and divided directions of travel. Hence, rural pavement roughness has been prioritized.
Finally, we ranked the 15 states with the best roads in the US in order of their rural pavement roughness and urban pavement roughness on a priority basis.
15 States with the Best Roads in the US
15. North Dakota
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 14%
North Dakota ranks as one of the top US states with quality roads. The state is proficient in the maintenance of its roads as a result of which most of the state roads are in an acceptable condition. The urban, county and town roads are well paved across the state.
14. Virginia
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 13%
Virginia also ranks as one of the 15 states with the best roads in the US. The state’s highway system is one of the most cost effective in the country and offers good pavement across both rural and urban interstate roads. A network of managed lanes has also been added by the state to improve traffic conditions.
Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRL), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J), and Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) are all prominent companies within the construction and engineering industry.
13. Wyoming
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 12%
Wyoming is an intermountain US state which offers good to high quality bridges to travel. The quality of the road infrastructure is good while the overall costs are low. The traffic congestion in urbanized areas is especially low in Wyoming. Hence, Wyoming qualifies as another US state with the best roads.
12. Delaware
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 10%
Delaware provides a smooth system of roads which makes it another US state with the best roads. The Delaware Department of Transportation improves trip reliability and safety for road passengers in the state. The majority of the state roads are in good or fair condition.
11. Tennessee
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 9%
Tennessee is one of the 15 US states that have good quality roads to offer. The average cost of owning and maintaining a motor vehicle is also low in the state. This can be attributed to the well-maintained Tennessee roads which are in good pavement conditions.
10. Utah
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 7%
Utah offers one of the most highly maintained bridges in the US. The state roads are maintained to keep them in a good position rather than fixing them only when large repairs are required. This enhances the safety and quality of the road network in Utah thereby making it another state with the best roads in the US.
9. Kentucky
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 7%
Kentucky has one of the best roads among other states in the US. The state efficiently maintains its highways through its administrative disbursements. The pavement condition across roads in the state is also good.
8. Indiana
Rural Pavement Roughness: 2%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 6%
Indiana ranks as one of the top states with the best roads in the United States. The state spends a substantial amount on maintaining the quality of its road network which preserves the rural and urban roads spanning the state. Investment in building and widening existing highways and bridges is also undertaken in Indiana.
7. Kansas
Rural Pavement Roughness: 1%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 10%
The 15 states with the best roads in the world include Kansas as well. The state roads are clean and safe. The increased state spending further improves the quality of roads in Kansas. The major roadways are in good condition in the state.
Leading companies delivering transport infrastructure projects in the US include Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRL), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J) and Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD).
6. Missouri
Rural Pavement Roughness: 1%
Urban Pavement Roughness: 10%
Missouri is one of the 15 US states with the best roads. The rural roads are well paved. The Missouri Department of Transportation engages in careful maintenance of public roadways. It has undertaken several projects to resurface roadways for improved safety and convenience of the road passengers.
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Disclosure: None. 15 States with the Best Roads in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.
