--- title: "Rhode Island Spends 35,000 Dollars Per Mile on Roads. Still the Second Worst in America." description: "Rhode Island has the second-worst roads in the nation with 36% of lane-miles in poor condition and a roughness index of 139.3. The state spends $35,087 per lane mile, ranking 20th highest nationally. Despite above-average investment, the results are abysmal. Rhode Island is the poster child for the spending parado" canonical: "https://sidekick.vin/takes/rhode-island-spends-35-000-dollars-per-lane-mile-on-roads-they-are-still-the-second-worst-in-america" type: "take" category: "deep-dive" author: "Mira" publishedAt: "2026-04-01T21:50:42.404Z" readTimeMinutes: 3 keywords: [] --- # Rhode Island Spends 35,000 Dollars Per Mile on Roads. Still the Second Worst in America. > **TL;DR:** Rhode Island has the second-worst roads in the nation with 36% of lane-miles in poor condition and a roughness index of 139.3. The state spends $35,087 per lane mile, ranking 20th highest nationally. Despite above-average investment, the results are abysmal. Rhode Island is the poster child for the spending paradox: high investment, poor outcomes. With tariffs pushing up repair costs, Rhode Island drivers are paying twice, once through taxes and again through vehicle damage. ## TL;DR - **Rhode Island has the second-worst roads in America**, with 36% of lane-miles in poor condition and a roughness index of 139.3, per [MoneyGeek/FHWA data](https://www.moneygeek.com/living/driving/states-worst-road-infrastructure/). - **The state spends $35,087 per lane mile**, ranking 20th highest nationally. That is nearly double what New Hampshire spends, yet New Hampshire has the best roads in the country. - **This is the spending paradox** in its purest form. Rhode Island drivers pay for road investment through taxes and tolls, then pay again through vehicle damage. --- ## Key Numbers at a Glance | Stat | Number | Source | Date | |------|--------|--------|------| | Road roughness index (2nd worst) | 139.3 | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | | Roads in poor condition | 36% | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | | Roads in poor condition (urban) | 32% | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | | Spending per lane mile | $35,087 | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | | Spending intensity rank | 20th highest | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | | Annual highway budget | $781 million | MoneyGeek / FHWA | 2025 | Last verified: April 2026 --- Rhode Island is the smallest state in America. It also has one of the worst road problems, and one of the most instructive. With a [roughness index of 139.3 and 36% of lane-miles in poor condition](https://www.moneygeek.com/living/driving/states-worst-road-infrastructure/), Rhode Island ranks second-worst nationally, behind only California. But unlike California, which has a massive road network spread across a huge state, Rhode Island has just 1,102 miles of state-maintained road. It should be manageable. It is not. ## The Spending Paradox Rhode Island spends $35,087 per lane mile on highways. That ranks 20th highest in the nation. For context: | State | Spending per lane mile | Road quality rank | |-------|----------------------|-------------------| | New Hampshire | $18,658 | #1 (best) | | Georgia | $15,995 | #3 (best) | | Rhode Island | $35,087 | #49 (2nd worst) | | California | $19,980 | #50 (worst) | Rhode Island spends nearly twice what New Hampshire spends per mile and gets roads that are 48 positions worse in the national ranking. New Hampshire has 78% of roads rated good. Rhode Island has 32% rated poor in urban areas. ## Why the Money Is Not Working Several factors explain the disconnect: **Deferred maintenance backlog.** Rhode Island went decades underinvesting in road maintenance. Recent spending increases are catching up on a massive backlog, not improving quality. The state is spending more just to keep roads from getting even worse. **Harsh coastal climate.** Rhode Island gets salt spray, freeze-thaw cycles, and nor'easters. The coastal climate accelerates pavement degradation faster than inland states. **High construction costs.** As a densely populated northeastern state, Rhode Island faces above-average labor, materials, and right-of-way costs. Every dollar buys less actual road work. **Small state, big problems.** With a small total network, individual road failures have an outsized impact on the state's overall quality metrics. ## What This Costs Rhode Island Drivers Urban drivers nationally pay up to $750 per year in extra vehicle costs from rough roads, according to [TRIP](https://www.agc.org/sites/default/files/Files/Govt%20Regulations%20and%20Executive%20Orders/TRIP_National_Fact_Sheet_January_2025.pdf). Rhode Island drivers, with the second-worst roads and dense urban driving patterns, are at or above that figure. The [25% tariff on imported tires and parts](https://www.performanceplustire.com/Blog/how-tariffs-supply-chain-trends-affect-tire-prices) compounds the problem. Rhode Island drivers are effectively paying three times for bad roads: 1. Through taxes and tolls that fund road spending 2. Through vehicle damage from roads that remain in poor condition 3. Through higher repair costs from tariff-inflated parts ## What You Should Do 1. **Get alignment and suspension checked every spring** after the freeze-thaw season ends. 2. **Budget $50 to $75 per month** for road-related vehicle maintenance. 3. **Report road conditions** through the Rhode Island DOT's maintenance request system. 4. **Consider road hazard tire warranties** given the state's poor road quality. 5. **Shop tire prices early.** With tariff increases still flowing through, buying now saves money versus waiting. --- *Part of the "America's Most Expensive Roads" series. [Read the national overview](https://sidekick.vin/takes/america-has-4-2-million-potholes-drivers-pay-33-billion-dollars-a-year-to-fix-the-damage-now-a-25-percent-tariff-on-tires-and-parts-means-those-repairs-cost-even-more) for the full state ranking and tariff breakdown.*