PARCA Report: Alabama needs a realistic conversation about roads and what we are willing to pay for

     

 Just over twenty years ago, PARCA issued its first report on the condition of Alabama’s system of roads and bridges.
           


      Periodically, since then, we have updated that report to chart the progress of the system.



       This new edition of that report comes at a pivotal time for Alabama’s transportation network and for that of the United States as a whole, a time to evaluate transportation needs, to set priorities, and to determine the best way to pay for those priorities.


           In short, the number of miles traveled on Alabama roads continues to increase but the revenue from the state's per gallon gas tax is not keeping pace. It's actually down from its 2006 peak. Meanwhile construction costs continue climb.