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GAO-13-32R 1 (2012-11-14)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacgql0001 and id is 1 raw text is: J GAO Accountablty *Integrity * Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 November 14, 2012 The Honorable John J. Duncan, Jr. Chairman Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure House of Representatives The Honorable Frank LoBiondo Chairman Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure House of Representatives Subject: Information on Materials and Practices for Improving Highway Pavement Performance The nation's more than 4 million miles of roads are key to the economy, facilitating the movement of goods and people. Although highways are highly durable and can last for decades, they deteriorate from traffic wear and tear, inadequate drainage, construction deficiencies, and weather. Keeping them in good condition requires substantial resources: public entities spent more than $180 billion in 2008 on highways, with about $40 billion coming from the federal government. Despite these outlays, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that these funding levels are insufficient to maintain or improve the condition of the nation's highways through 2028.1 Further, the major source of federal surface transportation funding-federal motor fuel tax revenues deposited into the Highway Trust Fund-is eroding.2 The Congressional Budget Office estimates that, as of March 2012, to maintain current spending levels and account for inflation from 2013 to 2022, the Highway Trust Fund will require more than $125 billion over what it is expected to take in during that period.3 As a result, state highway agencies, the entities that are ultimately responsible for keeping most major highways in good repair, will need to develop strategies for doing so at reduced costs.4 One potential strategy is using more cost-effective materials and practices. With this in mind and in response to your request, this report describes (1) selected materials and 1 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 2010 Status of the Nation's Highways, Bridges and Transit: Conditions and Performance Report to Congress (Washington, D.C.). 2 The Highway Trust Fund is an account established by law to hold and distribute federal highway user taxes (e.g., federal excise taxes on fuel) that are dedicated for highway- and transit-related purposes. It is composed of two accounts: the Highway Account and the Mass Transit Account. See GAO, Highway Trust Fund: All States Received More Funding Than They Contributed in Highway Taxes from 2005 to 2009, GAO-1 1918 FWashington, D.C.: Sept. 8, 2011). Congressional Budget Office, March Fiscal Year 2012 Baseline Projections for the Highway Trust Fund P/Vashington, D.C.: 2012). Each of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, has a highway agency. GAO-1 3-32R Materials and Practices for Improving Pavement Performance

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