A new White House report shows Connecticut roads are among the worst in the nation and that car repairs are costing drivers in this state big bucks.
According to the report, 41 percent of Connecticut roads are in poor condition. That number ties Rhode Island for the worst percentage of poor roads in the country. Also, 35 percent of bridges in Connecticut are deficient, the report says.
The lack of road maintenance is costing drivers in this state about $660 per year for extra car repairs, according to the report.
Drivers aren’t surprised.
“My jeep goes all over the place. I have to hang on and drop down speed because it’s ridiculous,” said Nancy Rys of New Britain.
The report comes out as a federal trust fund for road repairs is expected to run out. If lawmakers don’t authorize more funding, nearly 10,000 construction jobs in Connecticut are at risk, according to the report.
While roads in Connecticut may be a bumpy ride, the state DOT says the report does not mean they are unsafe.
Local
DOT Spokesman Kevin Nursick says a “poor” rating is a measure of roadway roughness.
Nursick released the following statement Tuesday afternoon:
“The CTDOT has a billion dollar-plus highway capital plan annually, focusing on a multitude of infrastructure needs. Our program is balanced, but is geared toward addressing the most critical and important needs first, with safety issues being our highest priority. While road roughness/rideability indexes would ideally be perfect or better than we are currently rated, it does not reflect a safety issue, nor the overall quality or efficiency of our infrastructure – it's only one measure, among many. There are virtually limitless infrastructure needs, and of course, finite funding resources. We prioritize those resources to best address the most pressing needs of our state.”
