Used to be paved roads was a sign of progress. A town or county with gravel roads was considered backward and poor. Maybe they still are. But according to an article (sub probably required) on the front page of today's Wall Street Journal, there's going to be more of them.
Why? Because jurisdictions are going broke and can't afford to repair and maintain paved roads. So they are ripping them up and replacing pavement with gravel:
In Michigan, at least 38 of the 83 counties have converted some asphalt roads to gravel in recent years. Last year, South Dakota turned at least 100 miles of asphalt road surfaces to gravel. Counties in Alabama and Pennsylvania have begun downgrading asphalt roads to cheaper chip-and-seal road, also known as "poor man's pavement." Some counties in Ohio are simply letting roads erode to gravel.
The moves have angered some residents because of the choking dust and windshield-cracking stones that gravel roads can kick up, not to mention the jarring "washboard" effect of driving on rutted gravel.
But higher taxes for road maintenance are equally unpopular. In June, Stutsman County [North Dakota] residents rejected a measure that would have generated more money for roads by increasing property and sales taxes.
So what are counties spending their money on, if not roads? I'll bet a lot of things people would rather they didn't but they are required to by state or federal regulations. And while residents don't want to pay higher taxes (and who can blame them?) they probably wish the counties would maintain their paved roads.
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