Crumbling Roads and Bridges Cost State’s Motorists $38 Billion Annually

Roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested or lack some desirable safety features cost New York motorists a total of $38 billion statewide annually due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion-related delays, according to a report recently released by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation research nonprofit. 

The TRIP report, “New York Transportation by the Numbers: Providing a Modern, Sustainable Transportation System in the Empire State,” finds that throughout New York, nearly half of major locally and state-maintained roads are in poor or mediocre condition, nine percent of locally and state-maintained bridges (20 feet or more in length) are rated poor/structurally deficient, traffic congestion is choking commuting and commerce, and the state’s traffic fatality rate has increased significantly since 2019. The TRIP report includes statewide and regional pavement and bridge conditions, congestion data, highway safety data, and cost breakdowns for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, Binghamton, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York-Newark-Jersey City, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, Rochester, Syracuse and Utica urban areas. 

For example, driving on roads in the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown urban area costs the average driver $1,825 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 the lack of adequate roadway safety features, while not the primary factor, likely were a contributing factor.

“The Business Council of Westchester has always stressed that the state needs to prioritize improving the region’s transportation infrastructure,” said BCW Executive Vice President and COO John Ravitz. “It is especially critical that Westchester County has a strong, fiscally sound transportation network to serve as an important economic development tool for recruiting and retaining businesses in the county.”

“The TRIP report highlights the urgent need for sustained and predictable funding to address New York’s transportation challenges,” said Joseph Alston, director of government affairs for The Business Council of New York State, Inc. “The deteriorating condition of our roads and bridges poses a significant threat to business operations, increasing costs and reducing economic competitiveness. The Business Council of New York State calls on state and federal leaders to prioritize transportation infrastructure investments to ensure a robust business environment, drive economic growth, and secure long-term prosperity for our state.”

Improvements to New York’s roads, highways and bridges are funded by local, state and federal governments.  From 2022 to 2023, capital investment by NYSDOT in state and locally owned road and highway pavements dropped 29 percent, while investment in state and locally owned bridges dropped by 20 percent.

“New York’s transportation dollars are already being stretched thin by increased inflation in construction costs, and declining capital investments in the state and local transportation networks will make it harder to complete needed improvements,” said Dave Kearby, TRIP’s executive director. “It will be critical that the state adequately invest in its transportation network in order to provide a system that is smooth, safe and efficient.”