Louisiana roads are the "worst in nation"

Jay Vise Reporting

A survey funded by Reader's Digest says that Louisiana drivers daily face some of the worst major highways in the nation.

In addition to ranking our state's roads as overall worst in the country, the same survey's list of "the 7 Worst Roads in America" also does the state no favors.



At #1 of "the 7 worst roads," I-55 in Tangipahoa Parish ranks as worst in the nation.

At #2, I-12 in Baton Rouge gets the title of "2nd worst road in the country."

To view the survey results, and to view the study's methodology, please click the following link:

www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/the-best-worst-and-deadliest-roads-in-america-the-rankings/article176005.html

While that may come as a surprise to some, the spokeswoman for an advocacy group targeting bad roads in Louisiana says it's not a shock to her.

"I don't think it's to anyone's surprise that Louisiana was once again ranked at the bottom when it comes to our state's infrastructure," said Jennifer Marusak, of "Driving Louisiana Forward."

Marusak squarely places the blame for shoddy roads on the mechanism that funds infrastructure construction, repair, and maintenance.

"The main problem is, absolutely, without a doubt, the lack of additional recurring revenue...to not only improve our state's infrasctructure, but to maintain it," she said.

Her organization's position is that a static fuel tax, as a funding source, is not adequate to the job.

According to Marusak, the state should have long ago tied the amount of fuel taxes to the rate of inflation.

"We simply rely upon a stagnant gas tax, that was never indexed for inflation."