FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Report Available at: tripnet.org
Contact: Rocky Moretti 202.262.0714 (cell)
Carolyn Bonifas Kelly 703.801.9212 (cell)
TRIP office 202.466.6706
NEW REPORTS DETAIL KENTUCKY ROAD & BRIDGE DETERIORATION, HIGH FATALITY RATES & TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES; INADEQUATE FUNDING MAY LEAD TO FURTHER DETERIORATION, FEWER ROADWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS & COULD SLOW ECONOMIC GROWTH
Frankfort, Kentucky – A series of reports released this week examines the condition of Kentucky’s local roads and bridges, traffic safety and fatalities, and the most pressing transportation needs. The reports, by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization, are being released this week at transportation forums in each of the state’s 12 Highway Districts.
Transportation forums were held this week in each district to discuss the findings of the TRIP regional reports. The reports and a summary statewide report include data for road and bridge conditions, lists of the most deficient bridges, fatality rates and trends, and the most pressing transportation challenges for each Highway District.
Based on results of a TRIP survey completed by members of the Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association (KMCA), TRIP has calculated the share of county-maintained roads in poor, fair or good condition in each of the state’s 12 Highway Districts. The charts below detail pavement conditions in each Highway District and the share of roads that need to be resurfaced or reconstructed, as well as the share that are projected to be resurfaced or reconstructed based on current funding levels.
| Poor Condition | Fair Condition | Good Condition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 17% | 23% | 60% |
| District 2 | 23% | 21% | 56% |
| District 3 | 17% | 28% | 56% |
| District 4 | 19% | 26% | 52% |
| District 5 | 14% | 19% | 67% |
| District 6 | 23% | 27% | 50% |
| District 7 | 10% | 14% | 76% |
| District 8 | 22% | 29% | 49% |
| District 9 | 30% | 24% | 44% |
| District 10 | 34% | 34% | 33% |
| District 11 | 26% | 34% | 41% |
| District 12 | 17% | 34% | 49% |
| Kentucky | 20% | 26% | 53% |
| Need to Be Resurfaced | Plan to Resurface in 2017 | Need to Be Reconstructed | Plan to Reconstruct in 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 39% | 3% | 11% | 0% |
| District 2 | 19% | 2% | 6% | 0% |
| District 3 | 18% | 3% | 7% | 0% |
| District 4 | 22% | 4% | 9% | 1% |
| District 5 | 22% | 5% | 3% | 0% |
| District 6 | 33% | 9% | 2% | 1% |
| District 7 | 18% | 3% | 5% | 0% |
| District 8 | 29% | 3% | 13% | 0% |
| District 9 | 45% | 2% | 20% | 1% |
| District 10 | 57% | 2% | 26% | 4% |
| District 11 | 38% | 1% | 8% | 0% |
| District 12 | 38% | 7% | 5% | 0% |
| Kentucky | 29% | 3% | 9% | 1% |
“We’ve been talking for months about the fact that there is a $1 billion backlog in resurfacing and maintenance for a total of 3,700 miles of roadway,” said Juva Barber, executive director of Kentuckians for Better Transportation. “This report brings it closer to home and quantifies the real impact being felt on the roads and bridges in every corner of the Commonwealth.”
TRIP’s reports examine bridge conditions in each of the state’s Highway Districts, including the share of bridges in each Highway District that are structurally deficient. Bridges that are structurally deficient have significant deterioration of the bridge deck, supports or other major components. The TRIP reports for each Highway District include lists of the 25 most heavily traveled structurally deficient bridges and the 25 structurally deficient bridges with the lowest average rating for the condition of the deck, substructure and superstructure. The chart below details the number and share of structurally deficient bridges in each Kentucky Highway District.
| Structurally Deficient | Structurally Deficient | Total Bridges | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 123 | 7% | 1,752 |
| District 2 | 123 | 6% | 1,937 |
| District 3 | 25 | 3% | 864 |
| District 4 | 67 | 6% | 1,092 |
| District 5 | 123 | 10% | 1,226 |
| District 6 | 81 | 8% | 962 |
| District 7 | 61 | 5% | 1,260 |
| District 8 | 61 | 6% | 963 |
| District 9 | 73 | 6% | 1,145 |
| District 10 | 67 | 8% | 862 |
| District 11 | 249 | 21% | 1,183 |
| District 12 | 104 | 10% | 1,019 |
| Kentucky | 1157 | 8% | 14,265 |
Based on data provided by the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, TRIP calculated the average number of fatalities and serious injuries from 2014 to 2016, the share of highway fatalities that were a result of a vehicle leaving the roadway, and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (VMT) for each Highway District.
| Avg. Fatalities 2014-16 | Avg. Serious Injuries 2014-16 | Fatalities Involving Roadway Departure | Fatality Rate per 100M VMT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 57 | 200 | 56% | 1.86 |
| District 2 | 63 | 282 | 43% | 1.44 |
| District 3 | 55 | 180 | 52% | 1.57 |
| District 4 | 76 | 249 | 52% | 1.98 |
| District 5 | 128 | 886 | 32% | 1.23 |
| District 6 | 53 | 247 | 40% | 0.99 |
| District 7 | 106 | 436 | 49% | 1.45 |
| District 8 | 54 | 151 | 48% | 2.17 |
| District 9 | 32 | 152 | 53% | 1.42 |
| District 10 | 40 | 99 | 65% | 3.13 |
| District 11 | 52 | 192 | 56% | 1.84 |
| District 12 | 39 | 93 | 55% | 1.97 |
| Kentucky | 755 | 3,168 | 48% | 1.54 |
“Without greater investment at all levels of government, Kentucky’s transportation system will become increasingly deteriorated, hampering economic growth, safety and quality of life,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director.