Alaska’s roads have been at the bottom of the Reason Foundation’s Highway System Report for years. Alaska was last in 2013, moving to 48th in 2018. Alaska Highways Rank 49th in the Nation as of 2019. These rankings are based upon the quality and the road system’ s cost-effectiveness.
In addition to the conditions on rural roads, the report found an increase in bad conditions on interstates. Alaska is one of five states in the entire country that has almost fifty percent of its rural interstates considered to be in poor condition. The study also found many deficient bridges in the state. Alaska’s best rankings are traffic congestion and urban pavement conditions.
Alaska Highways Rank 49th in the Nation
Alaska officials blame the high costs of maintaining existing roads and building new ones in the state are not figured into the ranking. Alaska’s Department of Transportation (DOT) advises that improvements such as underpasses and overpasses on roads seldom traveled do not justify the expense. Others argue that the opposite is true: because there are so many rural areas in Alaska that require travel to major cities, those citizens have no choice but to use those roads.
DOT is responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the Alaska’s road system. This includes maintenance of over 5600 miles of state owned roadways, 249 rural airports, 845 bridges and 720 State owned or managed buildings. DOT has personnel at 79 maintenance facilities across the State.
Further, Alaska’s road system lies within one of the most challenging environments. Alaska’s extreme temperatures range from 100F to -80F. Alaska’s snowfalls reach up to 974 inches at Thompson Pass. Permafrost covers 80% of the State.
Poor Road Conditions Can Cause Accidents
When a car accident occurs, one of the first questions is: “who was at fault or what caused the accident?” The usual suspects include one or both drivers, a problem with one of the vehicles, or weather conditions such as rain, fog, or snow. Sometimes the culprit is the road itself. In Alaska, that may be the case more often than in other states.
The Merdes Law Firm has been helping injured Alaskans for more than 30 years. It’s who we are. And while we hope you never need us … We’re here if you do. ~ Ward Merdes
Source: Reason Foundation; Alaska Department of Transportation; Merdes
Image Source: Eye On The Arctic
