HAMPTON, Va. — A new traffic report breaks down some of the biggest challenges found on the roads across Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
According to national transportation research nonprofit TRIP, Hampton Roads ranks as one of the regions with the worst traffic impacts on drivers. The average commuter spends 41 hours in traffic, burning through 14 gallons of fuel, and it costs drivers roughly $850,000 annually.
Those numbers are even worse when drivers look across the entire state.
"TRIP estimates that the cost annually to Virginia motorists for traffic congestion is $5 billion annually in the value of lost time and the cost of lost fuel due to traffic congestion," said Rocky Moretti of TRIP.
Drivers can also lose money while traveling over roads that are unpaved or considered "rough." According to TRIP researchers, drivers traveling on roads considered to be in poor condition lose $3.2 billion.
Hampton Roads leads the state when it comes to the amount of "poor" roads.
"In the Hampton Roads area, 28% of major pavements are rated as poor condition and 29% are rated as mediocre condition, costing the region's motorists $714 annually in the cost of driving on rough roads," said Moretti.
Bridges are not much better in comparison. Data finds that 3% of Hampton Roads bridges are considered to be in poor condition, and another 67% are rated as "fair."
However, Moretti said city and state leaders need to be aware of the amount of bridges that fall under fair that will need possible repairs in the future. He said many of the bridges might need repairs at roughly the same time.
"It's easy to get behind that curve and then you have a significant number of the region's bridges approaching the point where they need construction," said Moretti.
TRIP has a full breakdown of road and bridge conditions across the Commonwealth and Hampton Roads that can be found HERE.