New York’s roads and bridges rank among the worst in the nation for infrastructure conditions, according to a new study by LendingTree.
Using data from the Federal Highway Administration and the World Bank’s International Roughness Index, the study ranked New York eighth nationwide for poor road conditions and second for bridges in poor condition.
Nationwide, 8.9% of evaluated road miles and 4.9% of bridge area were classified as being in poor condition.
New York roads rank eighth worst nationwide
According to the study, 1,705 miles of New York roads — about 15.8% of the state’s evaluated roadway miles — were considered in poor condition.
Nationally, 30,481 of 343,341 evaluated road miles, or 8.9%, were rated poor or deteriorating.
The states with the highest percentage of poor roads were:
New York ranked eighth.
LendingTree auto insurance expert Rob Bhatt said aging infrastructure can create safety concerns for drivers.
“Newer roads and highways tend to be safer because they’re built for today’s traffic volumes and vehicles,” Bhatt said. “Older roads may have unsafe approaches or turn lanes, or they may not have enough capacity for current traffic loads.”
New York bridges rank second worst in nation
The study found that 12.3% of New York’s bridge area was in poor condition, second only to West Virginia at 12.9%.
Researchers analyzed 13.4 million square feet of bridge area in New York and found about 1.65 million square feet classified as poor.
Rhode Island ranked third at 12%.
The study also found that while bridge conditions improved slightly nationwide between 2020 and 2025, New York saw a 28.1% increase in bridge deterioration during that period.
Bhatt said aging infrastructure and funding challenges often delay repairs.
“These projects are expensive, and while the federal government helps, it often requires matching funds from local agencies,” Bhatt said. “Many states and municipalities don’t have the budget for that, so some systems are allowed to deteriorate until there’s enough public pressure to invest.”
Road and bridge conditions improved slightly nationwide
Despite New York’s rankings, the study found modest nationwide improvements in infrastructure conditions over the past five years.
The percentage of U.S. roads considered in poor condition declined from 9.2% in 2019 to 8.9% in 2024.
Bridge conditions also improved slightly nationwide, dropping from 5.2% of bridge area in poor condition in 2019 to 4.9% in 2025.
Some states, however, saw worsening bridge conditions. The study said Utah experienced a 200% increase in bridge deterioration, while New York increased 28.1% and Maine increased 26%.
Tips to protect your vehicle from poor roads
LendingTree recommends drivers take precautions to reduce damage from potholes and deteriorating roads, including:
The company said documentation may help support insurance claims or reimbursement requests from municipalities responsible for road maintenance.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York roads and bridges rank among worst in America, new study finds
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
