Kansas still strong in latest Reason Foundation highway ranking

Kansas’ highway system ranks 6th in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, according to the Annual Highway Report published Thursday by Reason Foundation. This down four spots from the previous report, where Kansas ranked 2nd overall.

“We rank each state based on 13 categories, four that measure disbursements and nine that measure overall system quality,” said lead author Baruch Feigenbaum. “We look at pavement, traffic congestion, bridge quality and fatality rates.”

It was lower achievement in those fatality rates that dropped Kansas from being even higher.

“Kansas does a fantastic job in terms of pavement condition,” said Feigenbaum. “They’re top 10 in each of those. The expenditures are pretty good, as well. The fatality rates are not good, ranking between 33rd and 44th.”

Rural states tend to struggle in that area.

“The best states in fatality ranking tend to be the small, northeastern states,” said Feigenbaum. “It’s generally because folks are traveling slower and also having to do with speed limits and enforcement.”

North Dakota is a notable exception, they were first overall in the ranking.

Image Courtesy: Reason Foundation