RVers, you know the American highway system (well, if you’re American) probably better than anybody else… except maybe truckers.
So tell us: How would you describe the condition of our interstate highway system? Excellent? Good? Poor? Awful?
You’ve logged thousands of miles, crisscrossed the country, and likely encountered just about every kind of road condition imaginable—from freshly paved stretches that make you feel like you’re gliding, to pothole-riddled sections that make you worry something important might rattle loose. Maybe you’ve noticed that some states seem to take better care of their roads than others. Or maybe you’ve been stuck in enough construction zones to wonder if some roads will ever be finished.
We hear a lot about infrastructure spending, but what’s it actually like out there in the driver’s seat? Are rest areas well-maintained? Are bridges in good shape? And are the lanes wide enough and shoulders solid enough for those of us hauling big rigs or towing a trailer? Some RVers say the interstate system is the safest and most efficient way to travel. Others avoid it when they can, choosing slower but more scenic backroads instead.
This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about safety, wear and tear on your rig, and even how enjoyable the ride is. If you’ve been RVing for years, have you noticed things getting better, worse, or staying about the same? We’d love to hear specific examples of stretches of highway you think are great—or ones that make you cringe every time you approach them.
After you vote in today’s poll, please leave a comment and explain why you answered the way you did and answer any or all of the questions above. Thanks!
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RVDT2901
The three states we spend most of our time, FL, NY, & TN, the roads we travel are excellent. KY back roads, Columbus OH highways, & the NY I-90 toll roads are awful. Majority of eastern US roads we travel are good.
It really depends upon the state support and weather for the condition of the Interstate hwy.
Texas used to be excellent, but has gone down hill.
The portion of your gas price that is Federal Gas tax has not increased in years. The cost of road maintainance has increased, just like everything else. Some States even move money from gas taxes to “other” needs.
The amount and type of traffic also makes a difference. We avoid Interstates as much as practical. I said “Good” as an average of the system as a whole.
The best maintained Interstate-like roads in Texas these days seem to be the privately operated toll roads.
Interstate toll roads are not managed by any private company there are FHWA regulations that don’t allow privatization of Interstate highways. The tolls are used by the state to repay bonds that were used to fund the construction project. A private contractor is typically used to manage the toll processing procedures.
I didn’t vote in the poll. I would have if there was a choice for ‘decaying’ because they all seem to be getting worse due to delayed maintenance and half-baked repairs. Many, many years ago the federal fuel tax that we all pay was strictly earmarked for highway construction and repair. Our congress continually tried to include that money in their general slush fund. The American Trucking Association fought long and hard to preserve that money for it’s intended purpose, i.e., decent highways. The battle was eventually lost. Much of that money was to be used for non-federal highways. I guess we’ll have to sit back and watch more of our infrastructure decay thanks to our career politicians.
I have noted that the closer to state capitals the better the pavement.
I honestly didn’t know how to answer. I have found out that it really depends upon the state you’re in. I find Ohio roads are pretty good but there is constant construction going on. Indiana are horrible especially the Indiana Turnpike. Pa is a lot like Ohio with road construction. We travel to Texas from Ohio a few times a year and lots of construction but I can deal with it because they’re at least trying to fix them.
The constant construction is why Ohio roads are pretty good.
I can’t answer the question In today’s poll because the answer varies from state to state. We are currently vacationing in Utah. The interstate highways here are very good.
This vote is definitely based upon what state you drive most of the time. Living in Southern Calif, our streets and highways are flat out awful. Our extra gas tax monies for streets and highways has obviously gone to other things and not what they were promised to pay for. Go figure!
Yes, even though they’re federal interstates, each state maintains differently. The CO front range is terrible. NM is terrible. OK, AZ, KS, IA and TX were very good. WI Democrat governor fixes roads in Blue Milwaukee and Madison. Rural northern WI roads are often terrible because gas taxes cost shares are diverted to blue cities.
I will just address I-40 and I-44, MO to CA. This road was built starting in the 1950’s. Condition varies State to State. From awful to good. But the big problem is the high volume of semi trucks. I’m guessing there are two to three times more than cars. In 1950 two lanes were great, today it’s inadequate. Not to mention the driver skills in some semis is terrible. All these decades and no third lane is unforgivable.
I vote good, because some are excellent and some are awful…all are somewhere in between.
I didn’t find what would be for me to be the appropriate answer. Interstate conditions vary widely from state to state. I will say this. States that have toll roads have some of the very worst interstate highways with the exception of Kansas. It’s obvious that these states siphon off the revenue from the toll roads instead of using it as it was intended.
I retired after 35 years with a state DOT and had an insider’s view of the issues. The state legislature determined the DOT budget and prioritize projects based on public visibility and not necessarily on engineering knowledge. Our DOT also had trouble recruiting and retaining qualified engineers, as private firms can pay significantly more. Most of the interstate was constructed fifty or more years ago and weren’t designed for today’s traffic loads. Increases in materials costs can significantly impact construction projects. Maintainance has been historically underfunded as it isn’t as visible as construction tends to be. I could continue on but…
With what seems like more and more federal/state money going into fraud and corruption, less and less is going into roads, even though that’s what a lot of our tax money is supposed to support. I’ve had a TV break loose on I40 in AR. I’ve had cabinets coming loose on interstates in and around Denver. It’s very sad what’s happened to our interstate system.
Hwy. 40 in KS was fine, then 40 in CO is gawsh awful as we headed to Colorado Springs. Welcome Center staffer said Denver legislators spend road money in CO wealthy areas and ignore the Front Range residents.
CO is a very scenic state to visit but their politicians stink. WI takes good care of I90-94 without tolls. IL toll roads confirm the corruption there siphons off the repair money.
Driving around in a car I’d say good. Go get in a leaf spring front suspension Class A and I’d say poor.
We just finished 7,600 miles across the lower US, up the east coast and back via I-90. The highways were a real mixed bag depending on the state and the type of roadway materials/weather. Sometimes we were beat to death and sometimes it was “smooth sailing”. I think Indiana was the absolute worst state we encountered and South Dakota the best. Having said that, I am so grateful for the ability to traverse this amazing country and do so with reasonable comfort most of the time.I answered “Good”.
Interesting that most comments say conditions vary by state. We travel to AZ as snowbirds and we agree. Some are good, some are terrible. I think my biggest complaint is the road tax / gas tax money that is supposedly earmarked for roads gets syphoned off for “PET” projects. Then the money that is budgeted has to be used for the lowest bidder and for “repairs”! I think we as drivers need to demand that ALL road tax money gets spent on roads. 2nd, develop a way to repair roads AND the repairs have to have a smooth transition of less than 1/4″ to the road. Fix them right. Bridge approaches are THE WORST. Maybe create an independent review board to eval plans and repairs!
I volunteer!