Illinois roads rank lowest among neighbors despite nation’s 2nd highest infrastructure tax

ILLINOIS (WTVO) — The quality of Illinois roads ranked 36th out of 50 states in a new study, despite residents paying the second highest road infrastructure tax in the country.

The Reason Foundation released its 28th Annual Highway Report, which grades state roadway conditions on several factors, including pavement conditions, urban congestion, structurally deficient bridges, fatality rates, and cost.

Illinois roads ranked worse than neighboring states Wisconsin (26th), Indiana (20th), Iowa (31st), Missouri (9th), and Kentucky (11th).

The state dropped seven spots since last year.

According to the report, “In safety and condition categories, Illinois’ highways rank 37th in urban Interstate pavement condition, 29th in rural Interstate pavement condition, 34th in urban arterial pavement condition, 42nd in rural arterial pavement condition, 38th in structurally deficient bridges, 21st in urban fatality rate, and 16th in rural fatality rate.”

Illinois ranks 46th out of the 50 states in traffic congestion, and its drivers spend 65 hours a year stuck in traffic congestion, the report said.

Additionally, the report said Illinois ranked 24th in maintenance spending on repaving roads and filling in potholes. “Illinois’ administrative disbursements, including office spending that doesn’t make its way to roads, ranks 30th nationwide,” it continued.

“In terms of improving in the road condition and performance categories, Illinois should focus on reducing capital-bridge disbursements, rural arterial pavement condition, and urbanized congestion. These are the only categories in which the state ranks in the bottom 10,” said Baruch Feigenbaum, lead author of the report.

Illinois residents currently pay the second-highest gas tax in the country besides California, at 66 cents per gallon.

That money is spent on road infrastructure projects.

Electric vehicle (EV) owners, who are exempt from the gasoline fuel tax are charged a flat $100 a year, on top of their annual vehicle registration fee, to make up for lost tax revenue.

A new proposal in Springfield would change how Illinois funds its roads, by charging drivers by the mile instead of a gas tax.