How bad are Massachusetts roads?

[mp775]

Originally Posted by wheelz

The money from gas should be earmarked for the roads and not put in the general fund.

The only part of the gas tax diverted to the general fund is the 2.5 cents earmaked for removing underground fuel tanks.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by bUU

No, it isn't. It is an aspect of the quality of life, and very much a matter of comparison. The harsh winter has myriad effects: The higher risk of ice-related accidents, the broken roads, the stunted trees, etc. And there are second-order effects. For example, trash on the side of the roads is more prevalent partially due to have snow removal collects up trash, often inadvertently, and moves it to places where trash is not cleaned up once the snow pile melts.

Each effect has its impact on decisions about where to live.

This wasn't a discussion about where to live. People were bitching about the horrible Massachusetts roads. The issues you describe exist everywhere in the northeast. Compared to other states in the region, all of which have higher taxes than Massachusetts except New Hampshire, Massachusetts roads are above average for any place with the kind of population density Massachusetts has. Try the NYC tri-state region. Far worse and with staggeringly high taxes. Philly and south Jersey are just as bad.

[bUU]

I have no argument with you there. All I am saying is that winter is more than just cold and snow and that affects quality of life many ways. This was a discussion about the roads being bad. They are bad. The OP's complaints are valid. And the winter weather is why.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by bUU

I have no argument with you there. All I am saying is that winter is more than just cold and snow and that affects quality of life many ways. This was a discussion about the roads being bad. They are bad. The OP's complaints are valid. And the winter weather is why.

Gosh! Thanks! None of us had any clue it was winter that caused the bad roads.

A properly designed road bed doesn't have big problems. You need adequate drainage to make sure there is no water under the road to the frost line that causes road-destroying frost heaves. It's freezing water expanding that causes the problem. Any state highway in northern New England is designed that way. It's kind of tough to get that right somewhere like Boston's Back Bay built on reclaimed swamp.

[bUU]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Gosh! Thanks! None of us had any clue it was winter that caused the bad roads.

There's no call for being sarcastic. Sarcasm doesn't have any value in rebutting that the OP's complaints aren't valid.