Citation

Reagin M. Am. City Cty. 2002; 117(7): 20-26.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Penton Media)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

According to a recent report by the National Association of Counties (NACo), which itself was based on a report by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), rural roads experience more fatalities than urban interstates yet receive the least amount of federal investment per lane mile driven. According to the GAO report, which aimed to study the distribution of federal funding between urban and rural roads and the number of fatalities by type of roadway, rural roads accommodate 40% of all vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. yet are the site of 60% of traffic accident fatalities, a rate 2.5 times that of the rate on urban roads. The NACo report confirms that rural roads require increased federal funding for safety initiatives. This article discusses efforts by NACo to push for dedicated funding for rural road safety and more control over the fund distribution as part of the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 Century in 2003.