What Makes A Roadway Safe? It Could Be Who Owns And Controls It

When you think about the safety of a roadway, you probably look at some common elements that you would think make a road more or less dangerous. For example, you may look at the speed limit of the road, or the traffic congestion, or how many intersections.

But it turns out there’s actually another factor, that highly correlates to accidents and road safety, that you may not think about: who owns a given road.

Who Owns Our Roads?

As a general rule, roadways (not including federal interstates) are generally owned by counties or by the state. It turns out that roads owned by states, as opposed to counties or local entities, have a much higher rate of accidents.

Problems With the State

The problem with state owned roadways, is that a state government is much less likely to dedicate the funds and resources needed to update a road to accommodate updated traffic patterns. Does a road need an intersection? More signage? Another lane? Conversion to a roundabout intersection? State government is slower to do that.

Political Concerns

Your local roadways don’t do much to help state legislators. Whereas with a county owned roadway, that county commissioner or your elected county officials, see a direct return on investment when it comes to political capital and the ability to brag to constituents about having done something good for the community, state legislators don’t see your outdated roadway as the same problem that your city or county sees it as being.

Slow to Respond

That’s aside from the fact that although all governments have some level of bureaucracy, state governments have much more than local bureaucracy.

That means slower response time. So, if a road has been built up with schools and stores and new housing developments, it may take the state years to realize what is going on, and the danger that the roadway presents.

Adapting to Change

Many of America’s dangerous roads were once open highways. But they did such a good job of allowing people to develop previously barren areas, that now those same roads are unfit for the sprawl that has developed around them. Many of those same roadways are the same now as they were 50 years ago when built, when there was nothing surrounding them and they were just used for interstate traffic.

Speed Limits

State and local governments have another conflict when it comes to roads. State governments prefer to keep speed limits high. It helps businesses and commerce move, and tends to appease residents of a state that like to travel at higher speeds.

But locally, residents, with kids on the roads, and who do their day to day business on those local roadways, may prefer lower, safer speed limits.

Were you injured on a dangerous roadway? Contact our Rhode Island injury lawyers at Robert E. Craven & Associates at 401-453-2700 today.

Sources:

smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/

vox.com/future-perfect/384562/state-highways-dots-car-crashes-pedestrian