Research Group Says Oklahoma’s Deteriorated Roads, Bridges Cost Motorists $5B

A national transportation research group says deteriorated and congested roads and bridges in Oklahoma cost the state’s motorists $5 billion a year in higher vehicle costs, crashes and congestion-related delays, the Associated Press reported.

A report released by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group TRIP says almost three-fourths of major locally and state-maintained urban roads are in poor or mediocre condition and that 15 percent of Oklahoma’s bridges are structurally deficient — eighth highest in the nation.

The report says Oklahoma’s major urban roads are becoming increasingly congested, with drivers wasting significant amounts of time and fuel each year. In the Oklahoma City area, the cost per driver is $2,175.

The group says funding for transportation projects has been cut in recent years, forcing the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to cut back on some projects and consider suspending others.

Statewide in Oklahoma, 45 percent of the major locally and state-maintained urban roads and highways have pavements in poor condition, 29 percent are in mediocre condition, 12 percent are in fair condition and 14 percent are in good condition, the study found. The deteriorated roads alone cost Oklahoma drivers $1.9 billion in extra vehicle operating costs.

Traffic fatalities in Oklahoma increased 6 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to the report, “Oklahoma Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility.”