Back to Goal 16From Measures and Milestones 2002
p. 50-51, published 2002
A modern physical infrastructure is the backbone of a vibrant economy and the higher quality of life it enables for all. A modern, safe, and well-maintained infrastructure has become the cornerstone of a civilized society. Here, citizen confidence in our progress continues to falter.
Table 1: Where Citizens Think We Stand
An estimated 87 percent of Kentuckians now have access to public drinking water, but access varies by county. While 100 percent of Fayette County residents are served by public water systems, only 37 percent of Knott County households are. Only an estimated 60 percent of Kentucky households are connected to public sewer systems. In 1990 the state adopted a universal collection law requiring counties to provide garbage collection services, but it did not mandate participation. Still, an estimated 93 to 95 percent of households participate.
Figure 1: Kentucky Households with Access to Water and Sewage
Figure 2: Number of Households Participating in Door-to-Door Garbage Collection
Safe and adequate roads are key to economic growth and a better quality of life for Kentuckians. A recent study ranked Kentucky 10th among the states in meeting this need on a fairly thin budget. They concluded that Kentucky is spending less per mile than most states and still maintaining relatively healthy roadways. Specifically, our rural interstate and major rural roads are in excellent shape. However, we lost ground, comparatively speaking, due to our worse-than-national average standings in urban interstate pavements, urban congestion, bridge conditions, narrow lanes, and accident rates.
Figure 3: Kentucky Roads and Highways in Fair or Better Condition
Complementary to a healthy roadway system, bridges also contribute to the economic good and quality of life in our state. In many cases, a community’s sense of identity is linked to the presence of a prominent bridge. Structurally and functionally sound bridges facilitate the flow of goods and services throughout the Commonwealth. Bridges that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete are not necessarily unsafe, but rather too narrow or below the capacity of modern standards. The number of structurally deficient bridges in Kentucky declined steadily in the 1990s while the number of functionally obsolete bridges remained essentially unchanged.
Figure 4: Status of Bridges in Kentucky, 1990-2001
In addition to providing vitally important public access to urban dwellers who cannot or do not drive, mass transit systems help alleviate traffic congestion, air pollution, and costly wear and tear on city streets. Kentucky’s ranking among the states in terms of urban mass transit coverage peaked at 17th in 1992 and 1993, then slipped during subsequent years. Kentucky has remained at roughly the same rank—29th in the nation—for the past seven years.
Figure 5: Kentucky’s Ranking in Availability of Urban Mass Transit Miles
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