A new report from TRIP paints a stark picture of the condition of Pennsylvania’s local roads and bridges, underscoring the economic and safety risks of continued underinvestment. Local roads, which are not part of the National Highway System, carry 44 percent of the state’s vehicle travel yet account for 94 percent of roadway mileage and 75 percent of its bridges. According to the report, 26 percent of PennDOT-maintained local roads are in poor condition. In addition, 14 percent of PennDOT and local government maintained bridges are rated as poor or structurally deficient.
These poor infrastructure conditions have serious, real-world consequences. The fatality rate on local roads is 80 percent higher than on other roads in the state, with 3,391 deaths occurring on local roads between 2019 and 2023, accounting for 58 percent of all traffic fatalities during that period. At the same time, rising construction costs, which increased 54 percent from early 2022 through late 2024, and declining fuel-tax revenues are eroding the state’s ability to keep up with needed maintenance and improvements.
To read the full report and its findings, click here. To find additional reports by TRIP on other states’ transportation infrastructure, please click here.