These are the US states with the worst roads: Rhode Island takes the dubious honor while Tennessee has the ‘best’ roads
- Rhode Island secured the unfortunate title of having the worst roads in the United States in 2020, with over 48 percent of its road miles classified as ‘poor’
- The state’s road conditions appear to be deteriorating further, with a 33.3 percent increase in the percentage of ‘poor’ road miles between 2000 and 2020
- Tennessee emerged as the state with the highest-quality roads in 2020
By Noa Halff For Dailymail.Com[1]
Published: 00:00, 17 January 2024 | Updated: 00:01, 17 January 2024
The states across the US with the worst roads have been ranked with Rhode Island[2] has taken the dubious honor while Tennessee[3] has the ‘best’ roads – and plenty of debate to follow.
Rhode Island secured the unfortunate title of having the worst roads in the United States in 2020, with over 48 percent of its road miles classified as ‘poor,’ according to Department of Transportation data.
Even more alarming is the state’s road conditions appear to be deteriorating further, with a 33.3 percent increase in the percentage of ‘poor’ road miles between 2000 and 2020.
Following closely behind Rhode Island, come both New Jersey[4] and Hawaii[5], each with more than 40 percent of their road miles falling under the ‘poor’ category.
In contrast, Tennessee emerged as the state with the highest-quality roads in 2020.
A mere 5.4 percent of the Volunteer State’s roads were deemed ‘poor,’ showcasing a remarkable 94.6 percent of road miles in ‘good’ condition.
Rhode Island secured the unfortunate title of having the worst roads in the United States in 2020, with over 48 percent of its road miles classified as ‘poor,’ according to Department of Transportation data
Tennessee took the top spot as state with fewest ‘poor’ rated roads.
A mere 5.4 percent of the Volunteer State’s roads were deemed ‘poor,’ showcasing a remarkable 94.6 percent of road miles in ‘good’ condition.
Arkansas[6] demonstrated a commendable improvement in road quality over the two decades from 2000 to 2020.
The state witnessed a significant drop from 34.8 percent to eight percent in the proportion of road miles categorized as ‘poor,’ marking the most substantial improvement among all states.
Earlier this month, the three worst highways in the United States were revealed.
Three highways in California ranked among the worst-regarded roads[7] in the country, according to a new survey.
Drivers in Colorado[8], New York, Illinois[9] and New Jersey are also just as frustrated with some of their main roads. Those states also found their major routes in those states among the ten worst roads in America.
Recently, Volvo Cars of Daytona Beach compiled a list of the 100 most hated roads in the US based on a poll of 3,000 drivers. The list is sure to cause debate among drivers who traverse US roads – as many believe their commute is the worst.
Drivers in New Jersey deal with frequent poor roads as their state ranked No.
2 on the list of states with the worst roads
Hawaii ranked third worst state for road condition in the US.
Pictured: Solidified lava next to Chain Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Conversely, Wyoming (pictured) ranked No.
2 for best roads in the country
Motorists ranked California[10]‘s US-101 as the most frustrating road in the country, particularly in the densely populated regions of San Francisco and Los Angeles[11]. The highway is notorious for frequent bottlenecks and significant congestion.
‘The traffic pace can decelerate to speeds slower than an average person’s walking pace, particularly noticeable during high-density travel times. Additionally, the highway traverses several major tourist attractions, adding to the traffic volume,’ Volvo noted.
No.
2 most hated was I-5, which runs the length of California. The road is a vital artery spanning from San Diego to Oregon[12], but its segment through Los Angeles is characterized by bottlenecking and seemingly endless construction, causing further delays.
An October 2023 poll from auto manufacturer Volvo ranked the top 100 most hated highways in the United States. The top 10 appear above
In addition to the sluggish commute, this highway also has an unfortunate reputation as one punctuated by fatal crashes.
The route recorded 192 fatalities in 2019, making it the deadliest road in the state, followed by US-101 with 139 fatalities.
At No.
3 is I-405, or the San Diego freeway, which has earned a reputation as the busiest and most congested highway in the entire country.
The road is infamous for its gridlock, particularly around Los Angeles, and has earned a reputation as one of the most congested freeways in the United States. According to 2021 data, the interstate had a crash rate of 1.042 crashes per mile.
The freeway’s Sepulveda Pass, adjacent to the Santa Monica mountains, presents additional geographical challenges that further compound the congestion.
Just yesterday, a speeding car careened off a San Francisco overpass and crashed[13] into a building before free-falling to the street below and sending the driver to the hospital.
A Toyota Corolla barreled off an overpass in San Francisco Sunday night, crashing into a nearby building and falling to the ground
The accident caused extensive damage to the second and third floors of a nearby building, the California Highway Patrol said in a press release
Shortly after 11pm Sunday, a Toyota Corolla headed west on Interstate Highway 80 entered the Harrison Street off-ramp ‘at an unsafe speed,’ the California Highway Patrol said in a press release.
The woman driving hit a concrete barrier as it came around the curve of the elevated ramp, the CHP said.
The car continued driving along the barrier until the car launched over it and careened into a nearby building.
After smashing glass and snapping windowpanes on the second and third floors, the car tumbled and came to rest on the shoulder of the ramp.
Last month, one person was killed in a multi-vehicle crash that halted early morning traffic near Van Nuys, according to ABC 7.
The collision was initially believed to be caused by a wrong-way driver, but authorities later concluded one of the cars spun out after hitting the center divider.
References
- ^ Noa Halff For Dailymail.Com (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Rhode Island (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Tennessee (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ New Jersey (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Hawaii (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Arkansas (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Three highways in California ranked among the worst-regarded roads (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Colorado (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Illinois (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ California (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Los Angeles (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Oregon (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ speeding car careened off a San Francisco overpass and crashed (www.dailymail.co.uk)