AS MUCH AS $2,600 PER DRIVER. LACK OF SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM FUNDING THREATENS VIRGINIA’S ABILITY TO IMPROVE ROAD AND BRIDGE CONDITIONS, IMPROVE TRAFFIC SAFETY, AND RELIEVE CONGESTION ON A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CARRYING GROWING TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
Roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested or lack some desirable safety features cost Virginia motorists a total of $9.5 billion statewide annually – as much as $2,583 per driver in some areas – due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion-related delays. A lack of sustainable, long-term transportation funding threatens Virginia’s ability to improve road and bridge conditions, improve traffic safety, and relieve traffic congestion and could be an impediment to economic growth in the state, according to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation research nonprofit.
The TRIP report, “Virginia Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility,” finds that throughout Virginia, approximately one third of major locally and state-maintained roads are in poor or mediocre condition, more than 600 locally and state-maintained bridges (20 feet or more in length) are rated poor/structurally deficient, and 3,875 people lost their lives on the state’s roads in traffic crashes from 2014-2018. The report also finds that travel on Virginia’s roadways has increased by 14 percent from 2000 to 2018 and six percent from 2013 to 2018, resulting in increasing traffic congestion, causing significant delays and choking commuting and commerce.
Virginia drivers lose $9.5 billion per year in the form of extra vehicle operating costs (VOC) as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion-related delays, and the costs of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contributing factor. A breakdown of the costs per motorist in the state’s largest urban areas, along with a statewide total, is below.
The report also finds that Virginia’s current sources of transportation revenues will not keep pace with the state’s future transportation needs. This is largely a result of increasing vehicle fuel efficiency and the increasing use of electric vehicles, which, combined, are expected to reduce significantly the revenue generated by the state’s motor fuel tax revenues. Average fuel efficiency for passenger vehicles in the U.S. has increased by 20 percent over the last decade and is expected to increase by 31 percent by 2030 and 51 percent by 2040. And, electric vehicles, which now account for two percent of passenger vehicles in Virginia, are expected to increase to 46 percent of passenger vehicles in Virginia by 2040. As a result of increased fuel efficiency and the adoption of electric vehicles, gasoline and diesel consumption in Virginia is expected to decrease 23 percent by 2030, and 51 percent by 2040. This decline is expected to decrease Virginia’s state motor fuel tax receipts by 34 percent by 2030 and 62 percent by 2040. State diesel fuel tax receipts are expected to decrease 24 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
The TRIP report finds that 12 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads in Virginia are in poor condition and another 22 percent are in mediocre condition, costing the state’s drivers an additional $2.8 billion each year in extra vehicle operating costs, including accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear. Twenty-four percent of major roads in Virginia are in fair condition and the remaining 42 percent are in good condition.
A total of 646 Virginia bridges (20 feet or longer) are rated poor/structurally deficient, with significant deterioration to the bridge deck, supports or other major components. More than eight thousand (8,499) of the state’s bridges are rated in fair condition and the remaining 4,786 are in good condition.
Traffic congestion throughout the state is worsening, causing up to 102 annual hours of delay for drivers in some areas and costing as much as $2,015 per driver. Statewide, lost time and wasted fuel as a result of traffic congestion costs Virginia drivers a total of $4.6 billion annually.
Traffic crashes in Virginia claimed the lives 3,875 people between 2014 and 2018. Virginia’s overall traffic fatality rate of 0.96 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel in 2018 was lower than the national average of 1.13. The fatality rate on Virginia’s non-interstate rural roads in 2018 was approximately three times higher than on all other roads in the state (2.05 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel vs. 0.63). Traffic crashes imposed a total of $6.4 billion in economic costs in Virginia in 2018 and traffic crashes in which a lack of adequate roadway safety features were likely a contributing factor imposed $2.1 billion in economic costs.
The efficiency and condition of Virginia’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy. Annually, $497 billion in goods are shipped to and from Virginia, relying heavily on the state’s network of roads and bridges. 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. Approximately 112,000 full-time jobs in Virginia in key industries like tourism, retail sales, agriculture and manufacturing are dependent on the quality, safety and reliability of the state’s transportation infrastructure network.
VIRGINIA KEY TRANSPORTATION FACTS
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF DEFICIENT ROADS
Driving on Virginia roads that are deteriorated, congested and that lack some desirable safety features costs Virginia drivers a total of $9.5 billion each year. TRIP has calculated the cost to the average motorist in the state’s largest urban areas in the form of additional vehicle operating costs (VOC) as a result of driving on rough roads, the cost of lost time and wasted fuel due to congestion, and the financial cost of traffic crashes. The chart below details the cost of deficient roads statewide and for the average driver in the state’s largest urban areas.
VIRGINIA ROADS PROVIDE A ROUGH RIDE
Due to inadequate state and local funding, 34 percent of major roads and highways in Virginia are in poor or mediocre condition. Driving on rough roads costs the average Virginia driver $468 annually in additional vehicle operating costs – a total of $2.8 billion statewide. The chart below details pavement conditions on major roads in the state’s largest urban areas and statewide.
VIRGINIA BRIDGE CONDITIONS
More than 600 of Virginia’s bridges (646) are rated in poor/structurally deficient condition. Bridges that are rated poor/structurally deficient have significant deterioration of the bridge deck, supports or other major components. More than eight thousand (8,499) of the state’s bridges are rated in fair condition and the remaining 4,786 are in good condition. Most bridges are designed to last 50 years before major overhaul or replacement, although many newer bridges are being designed to last 75 years or longer. In Virginia, 46 percent of the state’s bridges were built in 1969 or earlier. The chart below details bridge conditions statewide and in the state’s largest urban areas.
VIRGINIA ROADS ARE INCREASINGLY CONGESTED
Congested roads choke commuting and commerce and cost Virginia drivers $4.6 billion each year in the form of lost time and wasted fuel. In the most congested urban areas, drivers lose up to $2,015 and spend as many as 102 hours per year sitting in traffic as a result of congestion.
VIRGINIA TRAFFIC SAFETY AND FATALITIES
From 2014 to 2018, 3,875 people were killed in traffic crashes in Virginia. In 2018, Virginia had 0.96 traffic fatalities for every 100 million miles traveled, lower than the national average of 1.13. The fatality rate on Virginia’s non-interstate rural roads in 2018 was approximately three times higher than on all other roads in the state (2.05 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel vs. 0.63).
Traffic crashes imposed a total of $6.4 billion in economic costs in Virginia in 2018 and traffic crashes in which a lack of adequate roadway safety features were likely a contributing factor imposed $2.1 billion in economic costs. The chart below details the number of people killed in traffic crashes in the state’s largest urban areas between 2015 and 2018, and the cost of traffic crashes per driver.
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING IN VIRGINIA
Virginia’s current sources of transportation revenues will not keep pace with the state’s future transportation needs. This is partially a result of increasing vehicle fuel efficiency and the increasing use of electric vehicles, which have reduced the revenue generated by the state’s motor fuel taxes. The average fuel efficiency of U.S. passenger vehicles increased from 20 miles per gallon in 2010 to 24.5 miles per gallon in 2020. Average fuel efficiency is expected to increase 31 percent by 2030 (to 32 miles per gallon) and 51 percent by 2040 (to 37 miles per gallon). Electric vehicles, which now account for two percent of passenger vehicles in Virginia, are expected to increase to 46 percent of passenger vehicles in Virginia by 2040.
As a result of increased fuel efficiency and the adoption of electric vehicles, gasoline and diesel consumption in Virginia is expected to decrease 23 percent between 2020 to 2030, and 51 percent by 2040. This decline is expected to decrease Virginia’s state motor fuel tax receipts by 34 percent by 2030 and 62 percent by 2040. State diesel fuel tax receipts are expected to decrease 24 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The health and future growth of Virginia’s economy is riding on its transportation system. Each year, $497 billion in goods are shipped to and from sites in Virginia. The value of freight shipped to and from sites in Virginia, in inflation-adjusted dollars, is expected to increase 128 percent by 2045 and 92 percent for goods shipped by trucks, placing an increased burden on the state’s already deteriorated and congested network of roads and bridges.
The amount of freight transported in Virginia and the rest of the U.S. is expected to increase significantly as a result of further economic growth, changing business and retail models, increasing international trade, and rapidly changing consumer expectations that place an emphasis on faster deliveries, often of smaller packages or payloads.
According to a report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the design, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure in Virginia support approximately 112,000 full-time jobs across all sectors of the state economy. These workers earn $5.2 billion annually. Approximately 1.5 million full-time jobs in Virginia in key industries like tourism, retail sales, agriculture and manufacturing are completely dependent on the state’s transportation network.
CONCLUSION
As Virginia works to enhance its thriving, growing and dynamic state, it will be critical that it is able to provide a 21st century network of roads, highways, bridges and transit that can accommodate the mobility demands of a modern society.
Virginia will need to modernize its surface transportation system by improving the physical condition of its transportation network and enhancing the system’s ability to provide efficient, safe and reliable mobility for residents, visitors and businesses. Making needed improvements to the state’s roads, highways, bridges and transit systems would provide a boost to the economy by creating jobs in the short term and stimulating long-term economic growth as a result of enhanced mobility and access.
Numerous projects to improve the condition and expand the capacity of Virginia’s roads, highways, bridges and transit systems will not be able to proceed without a substantial boost in local, state or federal transportation funding. If Virginia is unable to complete needed transportation projects it will hamper the state’s ability to improve the condition and efficiency of its transportation system or enhance economic development opportunities and quality of life.
For the full report visit tripnet.org
Founded in 1971, TRIP ® of Washington, DC, is a nonprofit organization that researches, evaluates and distributes economic and technical data on surface transportation issues. TRIP is sponsored by insurance companies, equipment manufacturers, distributors and suppliers; businesses involved in highway and transit engineering and construction; labor unions; and organizations concerned with efficient and safe surface transportation.