Study: Alabama’s Neglected Rural Roads Make Commutes Longer

Research from the University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center reveals disparities in transportation infrastructure between the state’s urban and rural areas.

“Per the EPC’s research, Alabamians living in the Black Belt and other rural areas of the state must make longer commutes at a disproportionate rate due to inadequate roadway infrastructure.” As Alex Jobin explains in Alabama Political Reporter, the state is proposing to allocate funding for urban highway projects such as a proposed widening of Interstate 65. Meanwhile, 21% of Black Belt residents have commutes of over 45 minutes, compared with 15% of workers statewide.

The report recommends prioritizing the most urgent transportation projects rather than simply using high traffic volumes to determine which roads will get fixed first. “They argue that agencies including the Alabama Department of Transportation, ALDOT, should also take travel-time burden, commuting reliance and safety risks into consideration when considering infrastructure investments.” The report also suggests expanding grant-based funding mechanisms for rural infrastructure and improving technical assistance for local communities.