Roads, bridges get 'D' grade from engineers

BY Tim Haeck  on March 20, 2013 @ 10:25 am (Updated: 11:22 am - 3/20/13 )

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The report concludes that 67 percent of roads in Washington are in poor or mediocre condition. (Image courtesy WSDOT) | Zoom
Here's another dire assessment of the condition of roadways and transit service. A report card on the state of our nation's roads, bridges and transit service and several other categories of public services gives an overall grade of 'D-plus.'

The 2013 report of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) concludes that 67 percent of roads in Washington are in poor or mediocre condition.

The report estimates the bad roads cost about $272 per motorist in extra repairs and operating costs, about $1.3 billion in Washington.

Compiled every four years, the report estimates that five percent of bridges in Washington, 366 out of 7,840, are rated structurally deficient.

The report rates 16 infrastructure categories, including drinking water systems, ports, mass transit and the electric grid.

Not surprisingly, the organization of civil engineers is calling for better funding of transportation systems, noting that the Washington gasoline tax has not increased in four years. Overall, the ASCE calls for an investment in infrastructure improvements nationwide of $3.6 trillion by 2020.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (15)


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  • nomoretaxes wrote...
    Use the money you already receive
    March 20, 2013 10:55 am
    The state gets plenty of money for roads already. We have some of the worst roads in the country and we have one of the highest gas tax rates - how does that make any sense
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • thinktank wrote...
    Over population
    March 20, 2013 11:19 am
    It is a myth that increased population density will translate into increased tax revenue for fixing and maintaining existing infrastructure. Politicians have been telling us this myth for decades, as part of the pro immigration debate. The truth is that increased population density strains infrastructure at a rate much faster than we can afford to repair! It is time to "publically" start asking the question, "Aren’t there enough people here already"!?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    Here is the fallacy of the "sin tax"
    March 20, 2013 11:23 am
    Lawmakers try to legislate legal behavior through punishment taxes: Gas, Cigarette, Soda, Candy, etc. Then take those first years' windfalls and spend it like it will flow forever. All of a sudden, you find out that the taxes had the exact social behavior effect you had wished for. People are driving "green" cars and not V-8 gas guzzlers. Smokers are quitting. Kids actually are drinking water instead of soda at lunch. And you find out that you no longer had those windfall tax revenue to pay for the things that Government is suppose to pay for.

    So, lawmakers, how about this? Figure out your responsibility to the society that elected you first: Public Defense (Police and Fire), Infrastructure (because you are the only ones who can do it, not private citizens or companies), and Education (because the State Constitution calls for it). THEN worry about all of the other social ills like obesity, smoking, gay marriage, etc.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Bucket...
    March 20, 2013 11:42 am
    Well said. But the representatives think of us as evil, so they see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. But they still act like monkeys. I apologize to the monkeys for comparing them to Olympia.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Saltchucker wrote...
    'D' is for defecient
    March 20, 2013 11:41 am
    and it is also for defered maintanence!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    D is also for
    March 20, 2013 12:52 pm
    DUMBSHIT DEMOCRATS! The same idiots that have run this state into the ground for 30 years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DonVigo wrote...
    A is for...
    March 20, 2013 1:56 pm
    Alienating Actions from Another A Hole.

    Once again, the more you speak is the less anyone with any sense of common decency is going to want to support your cause.

    You ever want to see another Republican POTUS (which would be a nice change) you may want to either support the Democrats, or just stop saying "DUH!" everytime the opportunity arises.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • e233 wrote...
    Government cubacks needed
    March 20, 2013 11:42 am
    How did we pay for road construction in 1985, with half the government morons in place? Cut the government until we have enough money to pay for the construction needed.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • nomoretaxes wrote...
    Well said e 233
    March 20, 2013 12:09 pm
    We all have to make changes based on the amount of income we have coming in. The goverment in washington feels they can keep spending even when their "revenue" decreases
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    We all know what the answer is TOLLS !!
    March 20, 2013 12:12 pm
    I'm bent over slide it in fast and hard. First turn out the light. It's Bush's fault[side bar for the republicans to hang their self's on]! But I can tell them to go do that to themselves.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    "the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) concludes that 67 percent of roads in Washington are in poor or mediocre condition. "
    March 20, 2013 12:56 pm
    No surprise when 50% of the revenue goes to mass transit issues.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwoTrees wrote...
    I think this problem calls for...
    March 20, 2013 1:53 pm
    An expensive new train project!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WaGig wrote...
    So when...
    March 20, 2013 2:04 pm
    So when a Civil Engineer organization gives their professional opinion which naturally supports their cause financially it is looked at with suspicion..."Not surprisingly, the organization of civil engineers is calling for better funding of transportation systems" YET, when scientists give their opinion which also directly benefits them financially it is taken as truth because they have some kind of moral bone that no one else has? (if you're not able to understand i am talking about the pseudo science behind....)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    WaGig
    March 20, 2013 4:11 pm
    Shoots AND scores!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    Oh boy,
    March 20, 2013 8:13 pm

    "American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) concludes that 67 percent of roads in Washington are in poor or mediocre condition. "

    Well what did you expect when only approximately 10% of the transportation budget goes toward maintenance and repairs? All the other money is going to a mismanaged 520, the viaduct tunnel, a rail system that is not being used etc., it's like they are at the store and said let's do this and let's do that without any thought on how they was not only going to pay for it but also how to maintain the roads we already have.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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