TRIP Reports:Deficient Roadways Cost Each Pennsylvania Driver As Much As $1,800 Annually, A Total Of $9.4 Billion Statewide. Costs Will Rise And Transportation Woes Will Worsen Without Significant Funding Boost

Roads and bridges that are deficient, congested or lack desirable safety features cost Pennsylvania motorists a total of $9.4 billion statewide – as much as $1,800 annually per driver in some urban areas due to higher vehicle operating costs (VOC), traffic crashes and congestion-related delays.   Increased investment in transportation improvements at the local, state and federal levels could relieve traffic congestion, improve road and bridge conditions, boost safety, and support long-term economic growth in Pennsylvania, according to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization.

The TRIP report, “Future Mobility in Pennsylvania: The Cost of Meeting the State’s Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility,” finds that throughout Pennsylvania, 37 percent of major roads and highways provide motorists with a rough ride. A total of 42 percent of Pennsylvania bridges show significant deterioration or do not meet current design standards. The state’s major urban roads are becoming increasingly congested, with drivers wasting increasing amounts of time and fuel. And Pennsylvania’s rural non-interstate traffic fatality rate is significantly higher than the fatality rate on all other roads in the state.

Driving on deficient roads costs Pennsylvania drivers a total of $9.4 billion per year in the form of extra vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion-related delays, and the cost of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contributing factor. The TRIP report calculated the cost to motorists of insufficient roads in Pennsylvania’s largest urban areas: Harrisburg-York-Lancaster, Lehigh Valley-Reading, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. A breakdown of the costs per motorist in each area along with a statewide total is below.

The TRIP report finds that 41 percent of major urban roads in the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster metro area are in poor or mediocre condition. In the Reading/Lehigh Valley urban area, 52 percent of major urban roads are in poor or mediocre condition. A total of 73 percent of major urban roads in the Philadelphia urban area are in either poor or mediocre condition.  Forty-eight percent of major urban roads in the Pittsburgh urban area are in poor or mediocre condition. In the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre urban area, 66 percent of major urban roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

“As the General Assembly looks at a transportation funding measure, there’s a lot of discussion about the cost,” said Jason Wagner, managing director of the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association (PHIA). “The TRIP report quantifies the cost of not addressing this problem, and that cost is almost three times greater than the $3.5 billion annual transportation funding gap. Of even greater concern is the safety threat that a deficient transportation system represents, especially in Pennsylvania’s rural areas.”

According to the TRIP report, 25 percent of Pennsylvania’s bridges are structurally deficient, meaning there is significant deterioration to the bridge deck, supports, or other major components. Pennsylvania has the highest share of structurally deficient bridges in the nation. These bridges are often posted for lower weight or are closed to traffic, restricting or redirecting large vehicles, including commercial trucks, school buses and emergency service vehicles. An additional 17 percent of the state’s bridges are functionally obsolete. These bridges no longer meet current highway design standards, often because of narrow lanes, inadequate clearances or poor alignment with the approaching road. Bridges that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete are safe for travel and are monitored regularly by the organizations responsible for maintaining them.

Significant levels of traffic congestion are causing increasing delays in Pennsylvania, particularly in the state’s larger urban areas, choking commuting and commerce. In some urban areas, drivers lose as many as 48 hours per year stuck in traffic congestion – the equivalent of two days.

Traffic crashes in Pennsylvania claimed the lives of 1,286 people in 2011. The traffic fatality rate in 2011 on Pennsylvania’s non-Interstate rural roads was 2.33 traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, nearly two-and-a-half times higher than the 0.95 traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel on all other roads and highways in the state. A disproportionate share of highway fatalities occur on Pennsylvania’s rural, non-Interstate roads.  In 2011, 45 percent of traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania occurred on rural, non-Interstate routes, while only 25 percent of vehicle travel in the state occurred on these roads.

“Addressing Pennsylvania’s needs for a safe, efficient and well-maintained transportation system will require a significant investment boost at the federal and state level.  But not addressing the state’s need for an improved transportation system will result in even greater costs to the public,” said Will Wilkins, executive director of TRIP.

PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION BY THE NUMBERS:

Meeting the State’s Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility

Key Transportation Numbers in Pennsylvania

Executive Summary

Pennsylvania’s extensive system of roads, highways and bridges provides the state’s residents, visitors and businesses with a high level of mobility. This transportation system forms the backbone that supports the state’s economy. Pennsylvania’s surface transportation system enables the state’s residents and visitors to travel to work and school, visit family and friends, and frequent tourist and recreation attractions while providing its businesses with reliable access to customers, materials, suppliers and employees

As Pennsylvania looks to retain its businesses, maintain its level of economic competitiveness and achieve further economic growth, the state will need to maintain and modernize its roads, highways and bridges by improving the physical condition of its transportation network and enhancing the system’s ability to provide efficient and reliable mobility for motorists and businesses.  Making needed improvements to Pennsylvania’s roads, highways and bridges could also provide a significant boost to the state’s economy by creating jobs in the short term and stimulating long term economic growth as a result of enhanced mobility and access.

With a current unemployment rate of 7.9 percent and with the state’s population continuing to grow, Pennsylvania must improve its system of roads, highways and bridges to foster economic growth and keep businesses in the state. In addition to economic growth, transportation improvements are needed to ensure safe, reliable mobility and quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.  Meeting Pennsylvania’s need to modernize and maintain its system of roads, highways and bridges will require a significant boost in local, state and federal funding.

An inadequate transportation system costs Pennsylvania residents a total of $9.4 billion every year in the form of additional vehicle operating costs (VOC), congestion-related delays and traffic crashes.

• TRIP estimates that Pennsylvania roadways that lack some desirable safety features, have inadequate capacity to meet travel demands or have poor pavement conditions cost the state’s residents approximately $9.4 billion annually in the form of additional vehicle operating costs, the cost of lost time and wasted fuel due to traffic congestion and traffic crashes.
• TRIP has calculated the annual cost to Pennsylvania residents of driving on roads that are deteriorated, congested and lack some desirable safety features both statewide and in the state’s major urban area.  The following chart shows the cost breakdown for these areas.

Population and economic growth in Pennsylvania have resulted in increased demands on the state’s major roads and highways, leading to increased wear and tear on the transportation system. 

• Pennsylvania’s population reached 12.8 million in 2012, a seven percent increase since 1990. Pennsylvania had 8,796,774 licensed drivers in 2011.

• Vehicle miles traveled in Pennsylvania increased by 16 percent from 1990 to 2011 – jumping from 85.7 billion vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 1990 to 99.2 billion VMT in 2011.

• By 2030, vehicle travel in Pennsylvania is projected to increase by another 15 percent.

• From 1990 to 2011, Pennsylvania’s gross domestic product, a measure of the state’s economic output, increased by 35 percent, when adjusted for inflation.

Thirty-seven percent of major locally and state-maintained roads and highways in Pennsylvania have pavement surfaces in poor or mediocre condition, providing a rough ride and costing motorist in the form of additional vehicle operating costs. 

• Fifteen percent of Pennsylvania’s major roads and highways have pavements in poor condition, while an additional 22 percent of the state’s major roads are rated in mediocre condition.  Twenty-one percent are rated in fair condition and the remaining 43 percent are rated in good condition.

• The pavement data in this report for all arterial roads and highways is provided by the Federal Highway Administration, based on data submitted annually by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) on the condition of major state and locally maintained roads and highways in the state.

• Forty-one percent of major urban roads in the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster metro area are in poor or mediocre condition. In the Reading/Lehigh Valley urban area, 52 percent of major urban roads are in poor or mediocre condition. A total of 73 percent of major urban roads in the Philadelphia urban area are in either poor or mediocre condition.  Forty-eight percent of major urban roads in the Pittsburgh urban area are in poor or mediocre condition. In the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre urban area, 66 percent of major urban roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

• Roads rated in poor condition may show signs of deterioration, including rutting, cracks and potholes.  In some cases, poor roads can be resurfaced, but often are too deteriorated and must be reconstructed. Roads rated in mediocre condition may show signs of significant wear and may also have some visible pavement distress. Most pavements in mediocre condition can be repaired by resurfacing, but some may need more extensive reconstruction to return them to good condition.

• Driving on rough roads costs Pennsylvania motorists a total of $3 billion annually in extra vehicle operating costs. Costs include accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.
• The costs to motorists of driving on roads that are congested, deteriorated and that lack some desirable safety features in Pennsylvania’s largest urban areas are: Harrisburg/York/Lancaster – $358; Reading/Lehigh Valley – $420; Philadelphia – $572; Pittsburgh – $432; Scranton/Wilkes-Barre – $539.

Forty-two percent of locally and state-maintained bridges in Pennsylvania show significant deterioration or do not meet current design standards often because of narrow lanes, inadequate clearances or poor alignment. This includes all bridges that are 20 feet or more in length. 

• Twenty-five percent of Pennsylvania’s bridges are structurally deficient – the highest share in the nation. A bridge is structurally deficient if there is significant deterioration of the bridge deck, supports or other major components. Structurally deficient bridges are often posted for lower weight or closed to traffic, restricting or redirecting large vehicles, including commercial trucks and emergency services vehicles. 

• Seventeen percent of Pennsylvania’s bridges are functionally obsolete.  Bridges that are functionally obsolete no longer meet current highway design standards, often because of narrow lanes, inadequate clearances or poor alignment.

• Significant levels of traffic congestion cause increasing delays in Pennsylvania, particularly in the state’s larger urban areas, choking commuting and commerce.

• The chart below includes congestion-related data for the average commuter in Pennsylvania’s major urban areas, including the cost of lost time and wasted fuel as a result of traffic congestion.

Pennsylvania’s traffic fatality rate on rural, non-Interstate routes is nearly two-and-a-half times higher than that on all other roads and highways in the state.  Improving safety features on Pennsylvania’s roads and highways would likely result in a decrease in the state’s traffic fatalities and serious crashes. Roadway features are likely a contributing factor in approximately one-third of all fatal and serious traffic crashes.  

• Between 2007 and 2011 a total of 6,825 people were killed in traffic crashes in Pennsylvania, an average of 1,365 fatalities per year.

• Pennsylvania’s overall traffic fatality rate of 1.30 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2011 is higher than the national average of 1.10.

• The fatality rate on Pennsylvania’s rural non-Interstate roads was 2.33 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2011, nearly two-and-a-half times higher than the 0.95 fatality rate in 2011 on all other roads and highways in the state.

• The cost of serious traffic crashes in Pennsylvania in 2011, in which roadway features were likely a contributing factor, was approximately $2.7 billion. The cost of serious crashes includes lost productivity, lost earnings, medical costs and emergency services.
• The cost to motorists of traffic crashes in each of the state’s major urban areas are:  Harrisburg/York/Lancaster – $330; Reading/Lehigh Valley – $279; Philadelphia – $208; Pittsburgh – $160; Scranton/Wilkes-Barre – $344.
• Roadway features that impact safety include the number of lanes, lane widths, lighting, lane markings, rumble strips, shoulders, guard rails, other shielding devices, median barriers and intersection design.  The cost of serious crashes includes lost productivity, lost earnings, medical costs and emergency services.
• Several factors are associated with vehicle crashes that result in fatalities, including driver behavior, vehicle characteristics and roadway features.  TRIP estimates that roadway features are likely a contributing factor in approximately one-third of fatal traffic crashes.
• Where appropriate, highway improvements can reduce traffic fatalities and crashes while improving traffic flow to help relieve congestion.  Such improvements include removing or shielding obstacles; adding or improving medians; improved lighting; adding rumble strips, wider lanes, wider and paved shoulders; upgrading roads from two lanes to four lanes; and better road markings and traffic signals.

• Investments in rural traffic safety have been found to result in significant reductions in serious traffic crashes.  A 2012 report by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) found that improvements completed recently by the Texas Department of Transportation that widened lanes, improved shoulders and made other safety improvements on 1,159 miles of rural state roadways resulted in 133 fewer fatalities on these roads in the first three years after the improvements were completed (as compared to the three years prior).   TTI estimates that the improvements on these roads are likely to save 880 lives over the next 20 years.

The efficiency of Pennsylvania’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy.  Businesses are increasingly reliant on an efficient and reliable transportation system to move products and services. A key component in business efficiency and success is the level and ease of access to customers, markets, materials and workers.

• Annually, $489 billion in goods are shipped from sites in Pennsylvania and another $458 billion in goods are shipped to sites in Pennsylvania, mostly by truck.
• Seventy-seven percent of the goods shipped annually from sites in Pennsylvania are carried by trucks and another 14 percent are carried by courier services or multiple mode deliveries, which include trucking.
• Increasingly, companies are looking at the quality of a region’s transportation system when deciding where to re-locate or expand. Regions with congested or poorly maintained roads may see businesses relocate to areas with a smoother, more efficient and more modern transportation system.

• Businesses have responded to improved communications and greater competition by moving from a push-style distribution system, which relies on low-cost movement of bulk commodities and large-scale warehousing, to a pull-style distribution system, which relies on smaller, more strategic and time-sensitive movement of goods.

• Site Selection magazine’s 2010 survey of corporate real estate executives found that transportation infrastructure was the third most important selection factor in site location decisions, behind only work force skills and state and local taxes.

• A 2007 analysis by the Federal Highway Administration found that every $1 billion invested in highway construction would support approximately 27,800 jobs, including approximately 9,500 in the construction sector, approximately 4,300 jobs in industries supporting the construction sector, and approximately 14,000 other jobs induced in non-construction related sectors of the economy.

• The Federal Highway Administration estimates that each dollar spent on road, highway and bridge improvements results in an average benefit of $5.20 in the form of reduced vehicle maintenance costs, reduced delays, reduced fuel consumption, improved safety, reduced road and bridge maintenance costs and reduced emissions as a result of improved traffic flow.

Sources of information for this report include the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the U.S. Census Bureau, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).