A new study has revealed the states with the highest percentage of roads classified as “unacceptable” in the United States.
The study, by cash for cars service Junk Car Medics, analyzed road condition data from 2012 to 2022 from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, specifically looking at the total miles within each state that are deemed “unacceptable” according to the International Roughness Index (IRI).
The top 10 states with the worst roads nationwide
Rank
State
Total Miles of Road Within State
Total Miles of Unacceptable Road Within State
Average Percentage of Unacceptable Roads (2012-2022)
1.
Rhode Island
1,182
568
48%
2.
New Jersey
3,868
1,767
45.69%
3.
Hawaii
1,546
629
40.72%
4.
Connecticut
6,343
2,561
40.38%
5.
California
19,736
7,664
38.84%
6.
Washington
19,272
5,695
29.55%
7.
New Mexico
12,021
3,482
28.96%
8.
Massachusetts
5,328
1,528
28.68%
9.
Mississippi
21,783
6,068
27.86%
10.
Pennsylvania
26,506
7,329
27.65%
N/A
United States
786,013
158,253
20.13%
In first place is Rhode Island, where almost half of the roads within the state are in an unacceptable condition—a figure that works out to 48% of all roads within the state, or 568 of a total of 1,182 miles.
Notably, Rhode Island has the lowest total mileage of roads in unacceptable condition, but as a percentage, the figure firmly cements Rhode Island’s status as the state with the worst roads in the nation.
In second place is New Jersey, with 45.69% of its roads in an unacceptable state, totaling 1,767 miles out of 3,868 miles overall.
In third place is Hawaii, where 40.72% of roads are considered unacceptable, totaling 629 miles out of 1,546 miles in the state. Despite having the second-lowest total mileage of roads in unacceptable condition, only behind Rhode Island, when ranked by percentage of total roads, Hawaii is firmly in third.
In fourth place is Connecticut, where 40.38% of the roads are unacceptable, with 2,561 miles out of a total of 6,343 miles in the state.
In fifth place is California, which has 38.84% of its roads in an unacceptable condition, covering 7,664 miles out of a total of 19,736 miles. California has the highest mileage of roads in unacceptable condition of any state in the top 10, followed by Pennsylvania, with 7,329 miles in unacceptable condition.
Washington ranks sixth with 29.55% of its roads deemed unacceptable, totaling 5,695 out of 19,272 miles.
In seventh is New Mexico, where 28.96% of roads are in unacceptable condition, with 3,482 out of 12,021 miles affected.
Eighth place goes to Massachusetts, with 28.68% of roads in the state classified as unacceptable, or 1,528 out of 5,328 miles.
Ninth is Mississippi, where 27.86% of roads are unacceptable, totaling 6,068 miles out of 21,783 miles.
Finally, Pennsylvania takes tenth place, with 27.65% of roads in the state classified as in unacceptable condition, amounting to 7,329 miles out of 26,506 miles.
Interestingly, just over a fifth of the nation’s roads are in “unacceptable” condition (20.13%)—working out to a staggering 158,253 miles’ worth of unacceptable roads throughout the United States.
Idaho was found to have the best-maintained roads of any state, with just 5.52% of the state’s roads classified as “unacceptable” by IRI standards—working out to just 249 miles of a total of 4,512 miles of roads within the state.
Todd Bialaszewski, of Junk Car Medics, commented on the findings, saying,
“This poses serious implications not only for day-to-day travel but also for broader economic and safety factors. Addressing this issue will require a comprehensive approach, prioritizing sustained investment in infrastructure improvements, preventive maintenance, and modern repair techniques.
“In addition to targeted investments, fostering collaboration between state governments, local agencies, and private sector partners can accelerate progress. By pooling resources, sharing expertise, and implementing data-driven strategies, organizations can prioritize the most critical repairs and optimize maintenance schedules.
source: Junk Car Medics
photo: Gettu
Photo: Whiteway / E+ / Getty Images
