A new report says 23 percent of major roads in the nation's largest urban areas have significant deterioration and need immediate repair or reconstruction.

The Road Information Program report, "Rough Ride in the City: How Poor Road Conditions Increase Motorists' Costs," also concluded that motorists in the nation's major cities are paying an average of $358 per motorist in extra vehicle operating costs to drive on roads in need of repair.
TRIP Executive Director William Wilkins said the best way to reduce those costs to motorists is to make needed repairs and improvements to the roads, which would require an increase in funding for roads at the federal, state and local levels.
"The best way to improve poor road conditions in our cities is to increase funding for our nation's transportation system at all levels," Wilkins said. "We can do that by spending some of the $18.5 billion paid by our nation's motorists that now sits in the Federal Highway Trust Fund."
The Bush Administration proposed an $8.5 billion cut in federal highway funding in 2003 when it presented its budget proposal last month, according to TRIP. Wilkins said the federal cuts also are taking place at the same time that many states are facing budget shortfalls.
TRIP analyzed data for major urban areas that was obtained from the Federal Highway Administration in putting together the report. The 10 urban areas with a population of 1 million ore more which had the highest percentage of roads in poor condition are Boston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Detroit, New York, San Jose, San Francisco-Oakland, Oklahoma City, Sacramento and Grand Rapids.
Another 27 percent of the nation's urban roads are rated in mediocre condition and currently or soon will be in need of repairs to return them to good condition.
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