Who is responsible for maintaining the Interstates?

[rucky]

Is it federal? state? municipal? anybody know who foots the bill?

[Tesha]

1. State governments, often using money that is part Federal. (NT)

[liberal N proud]

2. Each state receives Federal monies for highway funding

To build new road or repair existing ones. Each state spend that money as it sees fit. But demand of an ever growing population on top of budget cuts. States are forced to choose repair or build new to accommodate the growing needs.

[texanshatingbush]

3. Wiki says the states operate them.....

"The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System, is a network of highways (also called freeways) in the United States. The Interstate Highway System is a separate system within the larger National Highway System. The entire system, as of 2004, had a total length of 46,837 miles (75,376 km) <1>.

While Interstate Highways usually receive substantial federal funding and comply with federal standards, they are owned, built, and operated by the states in which they are located. The only exception is the federally-owned Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System

[Xithras]

4. Maintained by the states using federal funds

The federal government sets roadway specifications and funds the interstates (sometimes fully, sometimes partially, depending on the particular highway). The states are responsible for managing the roadways themselves, for identifying problems, and for ensuring the safety of the roadway.

In a situation like this one, Minn DOT should have been aware that the bridge was unsafe, shut it down, and planned a replacement. Since the bridge is an interstate, the Fed's involvement would have been limited to approving the bridge design (to ensure that it met federal requirements) and footing the bill.

[dflprincess]

6. Because it is part of the interstate both the state and federal transportation departments have

inspected the bridge in recent years and both gave it a clean bill of health.

[kestrel91316]

7. Who gave it the 50 out of 120 score? The Girl Scouts?

[dflprincess]

8. I was quoting the original news reports - I hadn't heard the 50 when I posted the above

n/t

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. The states are stuck with that albatross

To cover the costs, each state gets an amount of federal highway funds based on the number of miles in their interstate system.

I call this an albatross because Congress has used the threat of withholding this money to commit blatant end-runs around the 10th Amendment. For example there never was a national speed limit; such a federal law violates the Constitution. So instead, Congress set speed limits as requirements to receive federal highway funds. States were not obligated to change state law to meet these standards, but those who did not would not receive federal money. Similarly there is no federal minimum drinking age, only a law withholding money from those states which do not comply.