Roadway Costs
Roadway construction and maintenance costs are a function of vehicle size, weight, speed,
and, in some regions, studded tire use. These costs average about 4¢ per mile for
automobiles, with higher costs for heavier vehicles (FHWA 1997; Litman 2009).
Motorized transportation also requires various traffic services, such as policing, signals and
emergency response. Walking and cycling impose minimal roadway wear, and their traffic
service costs tend to be lower than for motor vehicle traffic since pedestrians and cyclists
travel slower (reducing potential conflicts) and impose less risk on others. Sidewalks and
paths are relatively inexpensive to build and maintain. Most cities have about similar miles
of roads and sidewalks/paths, but devote 5 to 10 times as much money to motorized as
nonmotorized facilities.
Although state highways are funded primarily by motor vehicle user fees such as fuel taxes,
local roads (which pedestrians and bicyclists use most) are mostly funded by local taxes,
which residents pay regardless of how they travel. As a result, these can be considered
external costs, and shifts from motorized to nonmotorized travel reduces local government
roadway costs.
Estimated Benefits: Shifts from driving to walking or bicycling are estimated to provide
roadway facility and traffic service cost savings of 5¢ per mile for urban driving and 3¢ per
mile for rural driving.