Top 10 States With the Worst Roads

Americans in all parts of the country are dealing with dilapidated streets. Cracked and broken thoroughfares are chattering teeth and shaking cars to their very bones.

A document released by the White House this month says that 65 percent of U.S. roads are in “less than good condition.” Depending on where you live, those words might seem like an understatement. On average, 14 percent of the roads in this country are in “poor” and the American Society of Civil Engineers give the them a “D” grade. Apart from giving a country-wide average, the report also breaks the percentage of roads in poor condition into categories by state.

Trouble is, politicians have yet to arrive at a clear answer about how to address the issue. For decades, the Highway Trust Fund paid to keep American thoroughfares in shape, but that wellspring is about to go dry. As vehicles become more efficient, the proportion of miles traveled per gallon of gasoline purchased is changing to mean that streets suffer more wear and tear before they can be repaired.

Some lawmakers suggest raising the federal fuel tax from its current level at 18.3 cents per gallon of gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel fuel. That tax is what replenishes the fund, so it stands to reason that increasing its income could help stem the issue.

Thankfully, we don’t make laws here, but we do drive on the same broken pavement as you and that can lead to costly repairs. With that in mind, these are the 10 states with the highest proportion of roads in poor condition relative to the number of paved miles in their part of the country.