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Report Details Costs Of Poor Roads To Drivers

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A new report is out today about the condition of Pennsylvania's roads and bridges. The findings show exactly how much bad roads cost drivers.

The TRIP report a study that says when it comes to transportation infrastructure and overall cost to your typical motorists, Pennsylvania is in bad shape.

"Pennsylvania's transportation systems continue to experience significant levels of deficiencies and these deficiencies are a tremendous burden on the state's residents," Frank Moretti from TRIP said.

TRIP is a Washington-based advocacy group for better transportation and their report says our roadway problems cost big money to all of us every year.

"We estimate that annually the cost to the public of a deficient transportation system in the state is 9.4 billion annually," Moretti said.

Bridges, tunnels roads and rural and urban have problems.

For instance the typical driver in western Pennsylvania will drop about $1,400 dollars in operating costs to include crashes, and all that gas we waste sitting in traffic.

A total of 37 percent of all state maintained roads are in poor to mediocre condition.

We live in the City of Bridges, but 42 percent of them statewide need repair, improvement or replacement.

Because of maintenance and construction, you are 2.5 times more likely to be killed driving on a rural road in Pennsylvania than any other type of road surface in the state.

"Doing nothing is not a free option. By not doing anything we don't save money. We actually spend more money and waste more money in a nonproductive sort of way," Moretti said.

The report also found that the average motorist spends 39 hours behind the wheel every year just sitting in traffic.

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