These states spend the most on their roads. But are conditions really improving?

Which states spend the most on road infrastructure?

ConsumerAffairs calculated each state’s road infrastructure spending by adding capital outlay expenditures on state-administered highways and local roads in each state and dividing by the total lane miles in each state’s roadway system. We used financial data from 2021, which was the latest available information.

Highway capital expenditures are outlays allocated to improving state roads and encompass everything from land acquisition and construction to resurfacing and installation of signs.

1. Hawaii

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $40,362
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $397.7 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 22%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 39%

Despite spending more on capital expenditures per lane mile than any other state, Hawaii’s roads are also the roughest in the nation, with 39% in poor condition.

The Aloha State is unique in this ranking because it’s a chain of eight major islands located more than 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland. Its roads were not originally built to handle the traffic that came from a boom in its tourism industry, and they have had to be adjusted. However, this is difficult because many materials must be brought to the state by ship, making construction more expensive.

The wildfires that raged across Maui in August 2023 led to the loss of over 100 lives and around $5.5 billion in damages, which exacerbated poor road conditions in some areas. The impacts remain to be seen, but it’s safe to assume these conditions will further complicate road infrastructure improvements in the long term.

2. Pennsylvania

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $36,966
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $9.4 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 33%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 26%

The Keystone State’s massive spending on road infrastructure during the study period — the third highest in the country — was mostly allocated to local roads (67%) instead of highways (33%). According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), approximately 75% of the department’s funding comes from the state’s gas tax. One-third of Pennsylvania’s roads are considered to be in good condition.

3. Delaware

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $35,514
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $505.0 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 45%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 16%

The breakdown of Delaware’s total investment in road infrastructure contains an interesting element not found in another state to the same magnitude: While nearly $500 million was spent on highway-related costs, only $5.5 million of that funding (1.1%) was allocated to local roads.

4. New York

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $33,350
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $8.0 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 38%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 25%

New York’s total road infrastructure investment was the fourth highest of any state. That statistic is part of a general trend in which states with the most total lane miles spend more money. The Empire State spent about $850 million more on local roads (about $4.4 billion) than on its highways (about $3.6 billion).

5. New Jersey

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $31,582
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $2.7 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 53%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 19%

Most of New Jersey’s roads are in good condition, with more funding going to highways than local roads. A report from the Regional Plan Association estimated that 447,000 New Jersey residents commute to their jobs in New York City every day. Given the sheer number of people who use them frequently, keeping bridges and roads in good condition is essential.

6. Connecticut

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $30,737
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.4 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 22%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 33%

With one-third of its roads in poor condition, Connecticut’s infrastructure needs all the help it can get. About 75% of the state’s roads are classified as being urban rather than rural, which may explain why a larger portion of its infrastructure investment is going to highways instead of local roads.

7. Florida

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $30,585
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $8.5 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 51%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 14%

Florida spent the fourth-highest amount of any state on road infrastructure in 2021, which makes sense given its 277,420 total lane miles — the seventh highest overall. Just over half of its roads are in good condition, and it has the smallest percentage of roads in poor condition of any state in our top 10.

The lack of a correlation between increased spending on capital expenditures per mile and better road quality can best be summarized in a state like Florida. The Sunshine State’s total number of lane miles is similar to that in neighboring Georgia (267,582). Despite Georgia’s much smaller capital expenditures per mile spending of $9,212, more of its roads are in good condition (56%) and fewer are in poor condition (8%).

8. Rhode Island

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $30,287
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $411.9 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 22%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 37%

Like Connecticut’s roads, Rhode Island's road infrastructure is also in dire need of repairs. Its percentage of roads in poor condition (37%) is second highest among all states, behind only Hawaii. Nearly 89% of its total road infrastructure spending in 2021 was on highway-related costs.

9. Maryland

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $26,542
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.9 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 37%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 30%

Road spending in Maryland is split about 65/35 between highways and local roads. Traffic is a prominent issue in the state, which may explain the allocation of these funds. According to a report from TRIP, a nonprofit that researches road transportation, in 2020, 82% of Maryland’s urban interstate highways were classified as congested during peak travel hours.

10. California

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $23,528
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $9.7 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 40%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 24%

The Golden State may be the least surprising addition to this list. Its highways are infamous for long commutes and congested traffic. California’s total road infrastructure investment funds are split fairly evenly between highways and local roads. The state seems to think that adding lanes over and over will fix traffic, but reporting from the Los Angeles Times shows that isn’t the case.

Which states spend the least on road infrastructure?

The bottom end of our list includes the states that spent the least amount of money per lane mile, with Montana ranking last. Multiple factors likely contribute to states on our list spending less on road infrastructure — from a lack of funding to the majority of their roads already being in good condition.

1. Montana

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $3,967
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $603.6 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 56%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 11%

Over half of Montana’s roads are in good condition, which may explain the lack of urgent need for road spending. About 75% of the state’s road spending in 2021 was on highways, while 25% was on local roads.

2. North Dakota

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $4,146
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $743.7 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 69%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 6%

Some states at the bottom of this list spend less on road infrastructure because most of their roads are already in good shape. It’s not true for all of them, but it’s definitely a pattern that fits North Dakota. The state ranks sixth in the U.S. for percentage of roads in good condition (69%) and fifth for lowest percentage of roads in poor condition (6%).

3. South Dakota

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $4,272
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $709.9 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 51%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 12%

Half of South Dakota's roads are in good condition. The state spent about 69% of its capital outlays for road infrastructure on highways in 2021, which was slightly higher than the national average of about 65%.

4. Nebraska

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $5,083
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $989.1 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 71%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 8%

Nebraska’s percentage of roads in good condition is tied for fifth best in the country. The Build Nebraska Act, enacted in 2011, has helped fund the state’s road infrastructure over the last decade.

According to the state, 85% of the total revenue generated from the Build Nebraska Act has gone to Nebraska Department of Transportation projects, and 15% has gone to local roads and streets. Since the investments were announced, seven of the state’s 17 planned expressway expansions have been completed.

5. Kansas

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $5,263
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.5 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 74%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 4%

Kansas has the third-best percentage of good roads nationwide. It also has the third-lowest percentage of roads in poor condition.

Maintaining good, consistent road quality across Kansas’ extensive road system is an impressive feat. Its capital expenditures go mostly to state-administered highways.

6. New Mexico

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $5,266
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $795.1 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 32%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 33%

About one-third of New Mexico’s roads are in poor condition — the third-highest percentage among states. A TRIP report on the state’s transportation system cites “inadequate state and local funding” as a key reason for the condition of the state’s roads.

7. Mississippi

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $5,475
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $890.4 million
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 28%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 30%

Rough roads are a staple of Mississippi’s infrastructure system; it’s one of only a few states where there's a higher percentage of roads in poor condition than in good condition. The Clarion Ledger reports the unevenness in roads is due to the soil underneath. Public works staff say the soil contains Yazoo clay, which makes roads more susceptible to potholes in places such as Jackson.

8. Missouri

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $5,851
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.6 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 30%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 25%

The Department of Transportation cites Missouri as a state that needs more funding for road infrastructure. It says the state “has suffered from a systemic lack of investment” for decades and that driving on the state’s bad roads costs the average driver $743 per year. Most of Missouri’s transportation funding comes from user fees, including the state fuel tax.

9. Iowa

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $7,532
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.8 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 59%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 8%

Iowa is tied with five other states for the seventh-lowest percentage of roads in poor condition. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2023 Infrastructure Report Card states that the state’s road conditions steadily improved once officials adopted a “fix-it-first” approach and increased gas and diesel taxes in 2015.

Unfortunately, Iowa has the highest percentage of bridges in poor condition of any state, so it still needs to shore up its overall infrastructure health.

10. Tennessee

• Capital expenditures per lane mile: $7,754
• Total capital outlay on roads in 2021: $1.6 billion
• Percentage of roads in good condition: 75%
• Percentage of roads in poor condition: 6%

Tennessee’s percentage of roads in good condition is tied with Idaho's for the second highest in the country, right behind Alabama’s 78%. Low funding for road infrastructure in the state may stem from an if-it-isn’t-broke-don’t-fix-it mentality.

State investment in road infrastructure from 2017 to 2021

Looking at data from previous years paints a better picture of which states are making road infrastructure a higher priority. We analyzed the year-over-year changes in road infrastructure capital investment in each state over the period from 2017 to 2021.

Utah (167%) and Pennsylvania (130%) saw the largest increases in road infrastructure spending over this time period. Wisconsin stands out as the state with the largest investment decrease over the same period, at 28%. The next closest state was North Dakota, with a 22% decrease.

Who pays for roads? State vs. local government spending

Many American taxpayers might wonder who pays for road infrastructure costs. According to the Urban Institute, state governments covered the majority of highway and road spending (59%) in 2021, while local governments accounted for the remaining balance (41%). Those payments amounted to 5.6% of annual direct general expenditures by state and local governments.

Funding allocated from Congress' passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in late 2021 will likely impact future road quality; the legislation earmarks billions of dollars for repairing roads and bridges nationwide.

According to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, the goal is to provide “long-needed major improvements” to the country’s road infrastructure.

How quality roads increase your vehicle’s life span

Investing in road infrastructure doesn’t just impact the quality of the roads you’re driving on — it helps your vehicle, too. Bumpy roads and unfilled potholes pose a real safety risk to drivers and a financial risk to your wallet if you don’t have vehicle protection, like a warranty. Here are a few ways that better roads can increase the life span of a driver’s vehicle.

• Hitting a pothole can seriously damage your wheels, suspension or other vital parts that a vehicle needs to drive on the road safely. An estimated 44 million Americans had vehicles in need of repair due to potholes in 2022, according to AAA.
• Additional research suggests that road infrastructure safety improvements can reduce the likelihood of fatal and serious injuries.

Better road quality is also good for the planet. A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests that investing funds into smoother roadway pavement could improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Road conditions and spending by state

The table below shows the full data and rankings of how much each state invests in road infrastructure based on capital expenditures per lane mile.

Methodology

The ConsumerAffairs Research Team ranked each state's road infrastructure investment by looking at data from the Federal Highway Administration, an agency that’s part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The states on our list were ranked by taking each’s capital outlays on roads and dividing this figure by the total number of lane miles the state. We also examined road condition data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (also part of DOT). In addition, we analyzed state spending on road infrastructure year over year from 2017 to 2021.

If you have questions about the data or would like to set up an interview, please contact acurls@consumeraffairs.com.

Reference policy

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Article sources

ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:

1. U.S. Department of Transportation, “Total Disbursements for Highways, All Units of Government - 2021 (1).” Accessed July 17, 2024.Link Here
2. U.S. Department of Transportation, “Table HM-60 - Highway Statistics 2022.” Accessed July 17, 2024.Link Here
3. U.S. Department of Transportation, “Road Condition.” Accessed July 17, 2024.Link Here
4. U.S. Department of Transportation, “Highway Statistics 2022 User’s Guide.” Accessed July 17, 2024.Link Here