State ‘only got about half’ of money needed to fix roads

A quarter of New Mexico’s roads are in bad condition according to a new report from a Washington D.C. nonprofit. And ripped up pavement and bumpy roads aren’t just an inconvenience, they’re also costly to car owners in the state. On average, bad roads, traffic congestion and poor traffic safety conditions cost Albuquerque drivers more than $1,800 each year, according to the report by the transportation policy research group TRIP. Released last week, TRIP’s “New Mexico Transportation By the Numbers” report is based on publicly available data from sources like the American Automobile Association, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration. Albuquerque’s roads are the worst for any city in the state, according to the report, with 34 percent of them in poor condition.

Bad roads costing Albuquerque drivers, report finds

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Failing roads in Albuquerque can cost drivers up to $669 in extra vehicle repair and maintenance expense each year. That’s according to a report from TRIP, a transportation research group. Carolyn Kelly, associate director of research and communications with TRIP, says the report also shows that 32 percent of urban roadways in Albuquerque are in poor condition. She says tire damage from potholes, glass damage from rocks and extra fuel expense from congestion are major problems with a far-reaching economic impact. “Oftentimes when companies are looking to either expand or relocate,” she says.