TRIP, a national transportation research group, has released a new study on rural roads in America. The findings were not good for the Magnolia State.
Mississippi was ranked #5 in states the highest number of “poor” rural road conditions.
Perhaps more alarming is the state’s ranking in fatalities along back roads: #8.
Rural roads and bridges are a critical link in the nation’s transportation system, providing access to natural resources and the energy, food and fiber that drives the nation’s economic engine. In an aging, increasingly diverse and highly transportation reliant rural America, the transportation system plays a critical role in connecting these communities to America’s urban areas, supporting commerce, commuting and tourism.
But the nation’s rural transportation system, particularly its roads and bridges, faces significant challenges. The rural transportation network carries increasing levels of traffic and fails to provide adequate connectivity for many communities. The significant deficiencies yields significantly higher rates of serious traffic crashes than other roads.
Providing the nation with a rural transportation system that will support the nation’s economy and future development will require that the U.S. invest in a rural transportation system that is safe, efficient, and well-maintained, and that provides adequate mobility and connectivity to the nation’s rural communities.
