Houston roads are a money pit for motorists, report says

Traffic backs up Tuesday as an 18-wheeler wreck blocks lanes on Interstate 10 eastbound near U.S. 59. A report says Houston drivers spend hundreds of dollars extra each year because of accidents and congestion, which wastes time and fuel. less Traffic backs up Tuesday as an 18-wheeler wreck blocks lanes on Interstate 10 eastbound near U.S. 59. A report says Houston drivers spend hundreds of dollars extra each year because of accidents and congestion, ... more Photo: Nick De La Torre Photo: Nick De La Torre Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Houston roads are a money pit for motorists, report says 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

A pothole causes the driver to get a flat tire that leads to a two-car fender bender creating a three-hour traffic jam.

It's a harried scene possible on any given day in Houston. And these bumps in the road - be it a pothole, crack or rutting - come with a cost for all motorists.

Poor, unsafe and congested roads cost the average Houston driver nearly an extra $1,900 per year, more than motorists in other major Texas cities, according to a transportation report released Tuesday.

These road conditions contribute to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic congestion, car wrecks and valuable lost time. Without proper state funding to improve roadways, those costs are expected to grow, according to the report by TRIP, an industry-financed transportation research group in Washington D.C.

"We find from the report that we literally throw money out the window when we drive," said Roger Hord, president of the West Houston Association, a business and community organization, and former executive member of the Texas Good Roads Association. "Improvements are critical."

Using Federal Highway Administration data, the report found that about 47 percent of major roads in Houston are in poor or mediocre condition, which leads to increases in repair, fuel and tire costs for drivers. Using state and federal data, the transportation group estimates the average Houston driver spends $415 annually in vehicular operating costs because of roads that need repair.

The remainder of the $1,900 Houston drivers are estimated to pay because of poor roads includes costs for accidents and congestion, which leads to wasted time and fuel.

"Your vehicle depreciates more rapidly (on bad roads); it means you're going back to see your mechanic more often. In some cases it's even going back to the showroom to buy a new car more often than you anticipated," said Carolyn Bonifas, TRIP's associate director of research and communication, who helped author the report.

The group did not identity specific roadways needing repair.

Factor in crashes

A lack of safe roadway features was a factor in nearly a third of all fatal and serious traffic crashes in the state, Bonifas said.

Roadway improvements such as adding turn lanes, removing or shielding obstacles and enhanced lighting could help reduce crashes, according to the report.

Roads that are deteriorating, lack safety features or have an outdated design also can lead to traffic congestion, Bonifas said. The report says congestion overall is causing 57 hours of added time spent on the road per year for the average Houston motorist. Those delays waste an average of 28 gallons of fuel annually per driver.

Brianna Osborne, 21, who works at a Lowe's Home Improvement store in northwest Houston, said she often leaves early or stays at work late just to avoid traffic.

"I have to stay in traffic for about an hour and a half to get to my job, which is only 20 minutes away (from her home)," she said.

These costs facing drivers will increase dramatically if significant funding in the state is not put into place to address poor roadway conditions, according to the report.

Quality of life issue

Alan Clark, director of transportation and planning for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, said Texas has some of the lowest vehicular registration fees and gas taxes in the country. He said current transportation fees and taxes are no longer adequate sources of revenue to help improve and maintain the state's roadways. Clark said adequate funding will help improve roadway and traffic conditions in Houston as well as the region's quality of life.

"We can give people back their lives again," he said. "That time that they spend stuck in traffic."

Staff writer Jennifer Pearson contributed to this report.

anita.hassan@chron.com