Louisiana has worst roads in country (New Orleans, Shreveport: construction, maintenance, residential)

[hdwell]

Well now to be fair, Louisiana has made some improvements over the past few years. Many previous 2 lane US routes are now 4 lane and that will reduce the accidents (studies have shown that rural 2 lanes are the most dangerous anywhere in the country.). Texas does have a few rougher roads than they used to but spring is just started and maybe work will start on repairing them. Louisiana's weakest part (at least up here in North La) is the length of time to begin repair and the quality of repairs (asphalt thrown down on a crack in the pavement doesn't make for a smooth ride). The state could do better (barring the current finacial situation). The soil doesn't magically get better when a driver crosses the state line into Texas, Ark, or Miss. Those states just make roads a higher priority than we do. Until then, 48 or 49 or 50. Yessir, that's what we will be!

[waitingtundra]

To tell ya the truth, I can gurantee New Orleans has way worse roads than mant 3rd world countries. The surface streets, though they are paved, are pot hole infested and in horrible condition with standing mud holes from broken water mains and sewer lines. Avoiding the broken down bridges, crime scenes by police(both car acidents, drug busts, and murders),& rail cars blocking the roads is a real challange, not to mention the challange to the cars suspension and the long ideling in the heat that you have to put your car threw. Add to that the highest car insurance in the country and you gota love the big easy. No wonder we drink so much.

[high mileage]

Originally Posted by MetroBTR

The list is complete bullsh*t, basically. Illinois roads and Louisiana roads are basically in the same boat, but they are listed almost on the opposite end of the spectrum. Also, Texas should be much higher on the list, and Mississippi, much lower.

^ I agree. This whole list is is messed up. Michigan at 27, come on, and higher than Texas, no way! You can literally hear when you cross the Ohio/Michigan state line. Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois all need to be ranked lower. West Virgina, Texas, and Tennessee need to move up. Hell, the whole list needs to be rearranged! No way Ohio and Florida roads are comparable to eachother.

[Prytania]

Originally Posted by waitingtundra

To tell ya the truth, I can gurantee New Orleans has way worse roads than mant 3rd world countries. The surface streets, though they are paved, are pot hole infested and in horrible condition with standing mud holes from broken water mains and sewer lines. Avoiding the broken down bridges, crime scenes by police(both car acidents, drug busts, and murders),& rail cars blocking the roads is a real challange, not to mention the challange to the cars suspension and the long ideling in the heat that you have to put your car threw. Add to that the highest car insurance in the country and you gota love the big easy. No wonder we drink so much.

Well there is finally...roadwork in New Orleans. Laurel between Jefferson and Napoleon was paved as were many cross streets. Nashville is getting repaved (and the underlying road support). St. Charles and Carrollton have a lot of work being done on them now as does Earhart.
It's going to take time to fix but finally...its getting done. (Only be wary of the SW&B people who would come behind and muck it up)

[Nikephoros]

Yeah even in Lafayette, otherwise a nice city the roads are often terrible.

[Mrs. Carly]

You haven't seen bad roads til you have driven through New York city. YIKES!

They city is so crazy busy and the streets are so packed that it is impossible for any area to be shut down for any amount of time to repair the potholes.

Oh....and since we are on roads...the toll road fees in NYC are INSANE!

[Yarky22]

Try driving in Michigan on roads that are destroyed every winter by salt! Everything is patched with asphalt and it is nothing but potholes a couple years after a road is redone. I'm thinking of moving down to Lafayette in a couple years when I finish my degree program-any advice?

[prdomingues]

The roads in the Monroe/West Monroe region are improving. Especially the I65 4 laning all the way to the Arkansas line.
They could use another lane on each side on the I20 from Garrett Rd to Well Rd, but the are completely overlaying the interstate from the dirt up in that same section.
There is talk of bringing I530 from I69 in Arkansas to meet up with I20 in Monroe.

[Derry8107]

Really? I have traveled to all 50 states and to me, I think Kansas has worst roads ahead of Louisiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Florida. Alabama roads aren't that bad but there are too many two lanes, in my opinion.

[XUHopeful]

Originally Posted by hdwell

Well now to be fair, Louisiana has made some improvements over the past few years. Many previous 2 lane US routes are now 4 lane and that will reduce the accidents (studies have shown that rural 2 lanes are the most dangerous anywhere in the country.). Texas does have a few rougher roads than they used to but spring is just started and maybe work will start on repairing them. Louisiana's weakest part (at least up here in North La) is the length of time to begin repair and the quality of repairs (asphalt thrown down on a crack in the pavement doesn't make for a smooth ride). The state could do better (barring the current finacial situation). The soil doesn't magically get better when a driver crosses the state line into Texas, Ark, or Miss. Those states just make roads a higher priority than we do. Until then, 48 or 49 or 50. Yessir, that's what we will be!

Best ideas for improvement in road quality for Northeast LA:

4-lane Highway 65 from Ferriday when it breaks off from 15/425 and make a bypass of Downtown Tallulah and Lake Providence so that AR can widen it through AR to Highway 82 in Lake Village which would be an evac route straight to Little Rock.