We’re only third-worst, so take some pride. We’re No. 48! At least, according to this one survey of America’s roads…

Louisiana ranks third for the worst roads in America according to Consumer Affairs. Their study looked at the D-plus grade Louisiana received from the American Society of Civil Engineers for its poor road conditions and pavement roughness. Deputy Editor at Consumer Affairs, Cassidy McCants, says they also found Louisiana doesn’t spend enough money on its roads.

“So among the southeast states, its in the bottom three for per capita expenditure on roads,” said McCants.

Louisiana has 61,300 miles of public roads, and 46% of the major roadways are in mediocre condition according to government data analyzed by a group called TRIP. McCants says drivers are paying for Louisiana’s poor roads, because of the wear and tear on their vehicles.

“It cost people money to drive on bad roads an average of $658 per year in Louisiana related to bad road conditions per driver,” said McCants.

McCants says they also surveyed a few residents and one driver blames the poor road conditions on the state relying on quick fixes like “patch repairs” rather than fixes made to last.

She says another reason for Louisiana’s poor ranking is the number of traffic fatalities.

“So 1.42 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel and the U.S average is actually 1.11 per 100 million miles,” said McCants.

Hawaii ranked number one, while Rhode Island ranked second in the report. New Hampshire has the best roads.

Hawaii is a series of volcanic islands, so they’ve got a pretty good excuse for lousy roads. Rhode Island is run by mobbed-up, crooked Democrats, which is actually a worse problem for roads than volcanoes are.

And Louisiana, or much of it, is built over swampland, which makes for a tough environment to keep up the roads. Even so, that isn’t really the problem.

Bad drivers and a corrupt highway department have a lot more to do with the sad state of driving conditions here. And the low per capita expenditure on roads is because Department of Transportation and Development money keeps getting spent on things other than roads.

These are all things which need to be fixed. They won’t be fixed until John Bel Edwards, the most vociferous opponent of reforming our status quo who has ever occupied the governor’s mansion, is gone. In other words, we’ll have an opportunity to begin lifting the state off the bottom of the road rankings starting next year.

As an aside, the man principally responsible for our terrible roads, Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn Wilson, appears to be the most likely Democrat candidate for governor this fall. Wilson has proposed a road construction project in Baton Rouge which would make I-10 through the middle of the city…a two-lane highway.

For a year.

We’re almost excited about this. We just want to see Wilson running for governor while it happens. Bet those will be some fun campaign rallies.