As a stalemate in Washington lingers, unsafe conditions contribute to a rise in property damage
As a stalemate lingers between President Trump and congressional Democrats over moving forward on an infrastructure package, the price of fixing U.S. roads and bridges is going up in dollars and lives.
The number of public transit safety incidents on streets, highways and bridges rose by 13% between 2015 and 2018, in part because of unsafe conditions. The amount of property damage caused by those accidents increased by almost 20%, according to an analysis of the National Transit Database.
Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2018 reported 36,750 traffic fatalities on roads, or about 101 deaths a day, up from 97 a day in 2015. The need for road improvements contributed to some of those deaths, experts say.
The Wall Street Journal
By Likhitha Butchireddygari
Updated Sept. 2, 2019 12:15 pm ET