County Commission | The Magazine December 2018 | Page 10

FROM THE COVER
Road Fatalities:
Too Many Lost Lives
1,100 Annual Traffic
Infrastructure: Weak Link
for Economic Development
In the economic development game, Alabama’s
string of signature wins started 25 years ago with
Mercedes and has continued through the years, most
recently with announcements from Google and
Mazda Toyota.
Three “must haves” are always atop a site selector’s
list: favorable business climate, quality workforce and
solid transportation infrastructure.
“In two of those three, Alabama does really pretty
well. Business Facilities magazine recently ranked
Alabama No. 1 for having the best business climate in
the country. AIDT, the community college workforce
development training program and the universities all
do a really good job of preparing a workforce,” said
Justice Smyth of the Alabama Transportation Institute.
“Where we fall short and are continuing to lag behind
is in our transportation infrastructure.”
Fatalities on Alabama Roads
The most recent figures available show that
there were 1,100 traffic fatalities on Alabama
roads in 2016, a sharp increase from the year
before, according to ATI.
60%
Fatalities in Rural Areas
The majority of these traffic deaths occurred
in rural rather than urban areas. Travel time to
trauma centers is a big factor. Ambulances and
other large emergency vehicles may not be able
to travel the most direct route due to weight-
limited bridges.
1/3 Infrastructure
Itself Partly to Blame
In a third of fatal crashes, roadway features are
likely a contributing factor to the crash itself,
according to TRIP, a national transportation
research group. Features that impact safety
include lane widths and markings, intersection
design and shoulder conditions.
Annually, $436 billion in goods are
shipped to and from sites in Alabama,
mostly by truck, according to TRIP.
Annual Costs to
Alabama Motorists
Traffic Congestion Takes
Heavy Toll in Alabama
$1.5 billion
Increasing levels of traffic congestion cause
significant delays in Alabama, particularly in its
larger urban areas, choking commuting and
commerce. Traffic congestion robs commuters
of time and money and imposes increased costs on
businesses, shippers and manufacturers, which are often
passed along to the consumer.
Additional Vehicle Operating Costs: faster
vehicle depreciation, extra repairs, higher fuel
consumption, increased wear on tires
+ $1.5 billion
Crashes: lost productivity at work and home,
property damage, medical expenses, legal and
court costs, increased traffic congestion,
emergency services
(“Alabama Transportation by the Numbers,” TRIP)
+ $1.2 billion
$4.2 billion
DEFICIENT ROADS COST ALABAMA
MOTORISTS ANNUALLY
10 | DECEMBER 2018
Congestion: lost time and wasted fuel