WASHINGTON, DC >> California’s Interstate highways are among the most congested and deteriorated in the nation as the U.S. Interstate marks its 60th anniversary this week. According to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization, 85 percent of California’s urban Interstates are congested during peak travel times, the highest rate in the nation. California’s Interstates carry more than 19,000 vehicles per lane mile each day, the highest rate of travel in the U.S. In addition to crowding and congestion, California’s Interstate highways are the second most deteriorated in the nation, with 30 percent of pavement in poor or mediocre condition.
The TRIP report, “The Interstate Highway System Turns 60: Challenges to Its Ability to Continue to Save Lives, Time and Money” finds that the Interstate Highway System faces increasing congestion, unprecedented levels of travel — particularly by large trucks — and insufficient funding to make needed repairs and improvements. The nation’s most critical transportation link continues to save lives with its enhanced safety features and is largely well-preserved, but an aging Interstate system will increasingly require more long-term, costly repairs,
“These are not rankings that bode well for the future of our state. The Interstate system has made a significant contribution to California’s economy and quality of life for 60 years, but that contribution is diminishing each year as we continue to ignore needed investment in our transportation infrastructure,” said Will Kempton, executive director of Transportation California.
While the Interstate Highway System represents only 2.5 percent of lane miles in the U.S., it carries 25 percent of the nation’s vehicle travel. The system is increasingly congested, with truck travel growing at a rate twice that of overall Interstate travel. And, while the nation’s Interstates tend to be in better condition than other roads and bridges, the aging system lacks the required funding for needed improvements and repairs.
“The culmination of overdue infrastructure maintenance and lack of capital investment into California’s transportation infrastructure will continue to define our metropolitan cities and paint the state in a negative light among locals,” said Tom Holsman, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California. “Gridlock is at an epic high and travel in California will only increase in the coming years. It is imperative a viable solution for funding is not only met but sustained.”
The design of the Interstate — which includes a separation from other roads and rail lines, a minimum of four lanes, paved shoulders and median barriers — makes it more than twice as safe to travel on as all other roadways. Nationwide, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel on the Interstate in 2014 was 0.54, compared to 1.26 on non-Interstate routes. In California the non-Interstate fatality rate was more than double the Interstate fatality rate — 0.52 versus 1.07. TRIP estimates that the Interstate Highway System saved 5,359 lives nationwide in 2014 and 481 lives in California. This estimate is based on the number of additional fatalities that would have occurred had Interstate traffic been carried by other major roadways, which often lack the safety features common to Interstate routes.
While the condition of U.S. Interstate pavement and bridges is acceptable, some deficiencies exist. Twelve percent of Interstate highways are in poor or mediocre condition. Three percent of Interstate bridges are structurally deficient and an additional 18 percent are functionally obsolete. Structurally deficient bridges have significant deterioration of the major components of the bridge, while functionally obsolete bridges no longer meet modern design standards, often because of narrow lanes, inadequate clearances or poor alignment. In California, four percent of Interstate bridges are structurally deficient and 15 percent are functionally obsolete.
“Drivers are frustrated with the condition of the nation’s transportation system,” said Jill Ingrassia, AAA’s managing director of government relations and traffic safety advocacy. “While a record 36 million travelers plan to hit the road for Independence Day weekend, nearly 70 percent are concerned that roads and bridges are not in great driving condition. AAA urges lawmakers to keep their eye on the ball to identify a sustainable funding source to maintain and improve our Interstate system for the future.”
