New report: 'The Interstate Highway System turns 60'

[Kniwt]

Full report here (pdf): http://www.tripnet.org/docs/Interstate_Highway_System_TRIP_Report_June_2016.pdf

News release:
http://www.tripnet.org/docs/Interstate_Highway_System_National_TRIP_Release_06-27-2016.php

As the U.S. Interstate Highway System turns 60 years old this week, it 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, according to a new report released today by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization.

The TRIP report, "The Interstate Highway System Turns 60: Challenges to Its Ability to Continue to Save Lives, Time and Money"  finds that 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.

... Travel on the nation's Interstate highways has surged since 2014.  In 2015 vehicle miles of travel on the Interstate Highway System was four percent higher than in 2014 and through the first three months of 2016 travel on the Interstate Highway System was five percent higher than during the first three months of 2015.

... While the condition of 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.

[Ian]

And yet, Maine still boasts their 50 year interstate anniversary signs at all of their info centers on I-95...

[sparker]

It only follows that if Maine doesn't have the $$ to upgrade or even maintain their roads, they certainly don't need to update signs that are primarily PR rather than providing useful information!

[Bruce]

Only 5 more years until it can get the Medicare coverage and assistance it needs.

[Ian]

It only follows that if Maine doesn't have the $$ to upgrade or even maintain their roads, they certainly don't need to update signs that are primarily PR rather than providing useful information!

Considering that MaineDOT has been actively replacing every sign that's older than 7 years old in the last few years, I'm surprised they haven't touched these.

[hm insulators]

Only 5 more years until it can get the Medicare coverage and assistance it needs.

The Interstate Highway System is age-eligible to live in one of the Del Webb retirement communities in Arizona (Sun City, Sun City
West and so forth)!

[kkt]

Only 5 more years until it can get the Medicare coverage and assistance it needs.