Report: America's roads in good condition

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- America's roads and bridges are in the best condition they've been in for more than a decade, a study says.

Additionally, traffic fatalities have dropped to 1960s levels, the Reason Foundation said in its 19th Annual Highway Report released Thursday.

The survey measures the condition and cost-effectiveness of state-owned roads in 11 categories, from deficient bridges to urban traffic congestion.

North Dakota has the country's most cost-effective roads and Rhode Island has the worst; New Jersey has the most expensive highways and California roads are the most gridlocked, the report said.

The foundation based its report on information from 2008, the most recent year with complete data.

It said bridges are in the best shape since 1984 and pavement condition is the best since 1993. Traffic congestion is the lowest since 2000.

Overall, bridge condition is rated higher than in recent years.

Nevada has the country's best bridges, with just 10 percent rated as deficient.

The worst bridges are in Rhode Island. The report said more than 53 percent of the bridges there are "deficient or functionally obsolete."

Other findings: California spends more than $93,000 in administrative costs for every mile of roads built and Virginia spends just $6,500.

The full Annual Highway Report with detailed state-by-state analysis is online at http://reason.org/news/show/19th-annual-highway-report.