The very fact that Louisiana highways dropped to 40th in the nation clearly shows that transportation needs to be a higher priority in this state.

Having a well-maintained, modern highway system is essential to safety as well as economic development.

“The state also ranks 44th in its highway fatality rate, 41st in the condition of rural interstate pavements and 39th in the number of deficient bridges,” reads a story in The Advocate.

“The findings are included in the 21st Annual Highway Report by the Reason Foundation. …

“David T. Hartgen, the author of the study, said the state’s rating was also hurt by a drop in its spending for highway maintenance. ‘So a bigger problem and less money to work with yields a drop in the ratings,’ Hartgen said in an interview,” reads the Advocate story.

“The state was ranked 24th in highway conditions and spending effectiveness by the same group in 2011. …

“Hartgen said the ranking dropped in part because urban interstate mileage rated as poor rose from 8.7 percent to 15.3 percent, which is three times the national average. …,” reads the story.

“Rural interstate mileage classified as poor shot up from less than 1 percent to 4 percent, which is about double the national average.

“ ‘In just one year the backbone, if you will, of the Louisiana highway system registered a very significant uptick in the percent of poor mileage,’ he said.

“Rodney Mallett, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation and Development, said the state has invested $6.4 billion in highway improvements since 2008, including over $1.8 billion to improve key interstate corridors.

“Mallett also said the state has nearly doubled spending on highway safety projects, to nearly $50 million, and highway fatalities have dropped almost 30 percent,” the story reads.

“The report was issued just a week after a special committee began hearings on how to boost state aid for roads and bridges amid a $12 billion backlog of improvements.

“Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Robert Adley, R-Benton and a member of the panel, has repeatedly complained that the state is spending too little on highway maintenance.

“ ‘That is our problem,’ Adley said … of the report’s linkage of maintenance and deteriorating pavements.

“He said the state needs to spend at least $70 million per year for road upkeep.

“ ‘I am going to introduce several bills to ensure that happens,’ Adley said.”

Elected officials need to make highways a higher priority. They should spend less on pork barrel projects and more on essentials such as health, education and roads.(MGNonline)