At A Glance
The Nation's Transportation System
Highway Investment. In 2005, highway capital investment was $75 billion, $33 billion or 45 percent of the total in Federal assistance, and $42 billion from the state and local level.
Transit Investment. In 2004, transit capital investment was $13.2 billion, $5.2 billion or 40 percent of the total in Federal assistance, and $8 billion from the state and local level.
Construction Costs. Between 1993 and 2015 highway and transit construction costs will have increased 70 percent.
Restore Purchasing Power. To restore the program’s purchasing power, Federal highway assistance will have to increase from $43 billion in 2009 to $73 billion in 2015, and transit assistance will have to increase from $10.3 billion to $17.3 billion.
U.S. DOT 2004 Conditions and Performance Report (C&P). Based on 2002 data, Highways “Cost to Improve” estimate is $118.9 billion, Transit “Cost to Improve” estimate is $24 billion.
C&P Report Estimates Adjusted for Inflation. Adjusting U.S. DOT’s 2004 “constant dollar” projections to “years of expenditure” dollars yields the following estimates for 2007:
Highways. The “cost to improve” highways and bridges in the United States to the levels needed in 2007 is estimated at $155.5 billion.
Transit. The “cost to improve” transit in the United States to the levels needed in 2007 is estimated at $31.4 billion.
Freight Rail. The “cost to maintain freight rail’s current market share,” in 2007 is estimated at $12 billion—$2.75 billion annually in public support and $9.25 billion annually in railroad private capital investment.
Intercity Passenger Rail. The “cost to bring 21 intercity passenger rail corridors to a good state of repair,” is $3.3 billion in annual rail capital investment.
Population. Between 1955 and 2005, the U.S. population grew by 130 million to 295 million. Over the next 50 years, it is expected to grow by 140 million to 435 million.
Vehicles. In 1955, our highways carried 65 million cars and trucks. They carry 246 million today, and that number is expected to reach nearly 400 million by 2055.
Travel. Highway travel in the United States measured in “vehicle miles traveled,” increased from 600 billion in 1955 to 3 trillion in 2006. FHWA forecasts that it will grow by 2.07 percent per year through 2022. Travel may exceed 7 trillion vehicle miles by 2055.
Truck Freight. Truck tonnage is expected to increase 114 percent between 2004 and 2035. Trucks are expected to carry 79 percent of total tonnage.
Rail Freight. Rail tonnage is expected to grow by 63 percent by 2035. Rail is expected to carry 13 percent of total tonnage in 2035, down from 14 percent in 2004.
Truck Traffic. Today’s Interstates carry an average of 10,500 trucks per day per mile. By 2035, this figure will increase to 22,700 trucks per day, per mile. Today only 30 miles on the Interstate carry more than 50,000 trucks per day per mile. By 2035, that number may reach 2,500 miles.
Trade. Trade as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 13 percent in 1990 to 26 percent in 2000, and is expected to reach 35 percent by 2020.
Container Cargo. U.S. container traffic increased from 8 million units in 1980, to 42 million in 2005. By 2020, container volume is expected to hit 110 million units.
Interstate Highways. The 47,000-mile Interstate Highway System contains only 1 percent of total U.S. highway miles, but carries 24 percent of all traffic and 41 percent of large truck traffic. Interstate vehicle miles traveled are expected to double from 690 billion in 2002 to 1.3 trillion 20 years from now.
Tolls. In 2005, tolls generated $7.75 billion in receipts which represented 5 percent of highway revenues. There are 4,630 miles of toll roads in the United States in 25 states.
Global Competition. China is building a 53,000-mile National Expressway System which, when complete in 2020, will rival the 47,000-mile U.S. Interstate System. India is building a 10,000-mile national expressway system. Europe with a population of 450 million is spending hundreds of billions of euros on a network of highways, bridges, tunnels, ports, and rail lines.
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