2002 Conditions and Performance - Policy | Federal Highway Administration

Conditions and Performance

Status of the Nation's Highways, Bridges, and Transit:
2002 Conditions and Performance Report

Executive Summary

Index

Introduction

Highlights

Executive Summary

Part I: Description of Current System

	Ch1: The Role of Highways and Transit
	Ch2: System and Use Characteristics
	Ch3: System Conditions
	Ch4: Operational Performance
	Ch5: Safety Performance
	Ch6: Finance

Part II: Investment Performance Analyses

	Ch7: Capital Investment Requirements
	Ch8: Comparison of Spending and Investment Requirements
	Ch9: Impacts of Investment
	Ch10: Sensitivity Analysis

Part III: Bridges

Ch11: Federal Bridge Program Status of the Nation's Bridges

Part IV: Special Topics

	Ch12: National Security
	Ch13: Highway Transportation in Society
	Ch14: The Importance of Public Transportation
	Ch15: Macroeconomic Benefits of Highway Investment
	Ch16: Pricing
	Ch17: Transportation Asset Management
	Ch18: Travel Model Improvement Program
	Ch19: Air Quality
	Ch20: Federal Safety Initiatives
	Ch21: Operations Strategies
	Ch22: Freight

Part V: Supplemental Analyses of System Components

	Ch23: Interstate System
	Ch24: National Highway System
	Ch25: NHS Freight Connectors
	Ch26: Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
	Ch27: Transit Systems on Federal Lands

Appendices

	Appendix A: Changes in Highway Investment Requirements Methodology
	Appendix B: Bridge Investment/Performance Methodology
	Appendix C: Transit Investment Condition and Investment Requirements Methodology
	List of Contacts

Ch 12: National Security

The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, highlighted the need to better understand transportation security. The investment requirement projections described elsewhere in this report do not explicitly consider security-related benefits of investment in the highway and transit networks. Highways and transit, however, impact security in four important ways.

First, the Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) allows the Department of Defense to mobilize against global and domestic threats. STRAHNET is a 61,044-mile system of roads deemed necessary for emergency mobilization and peacetime movement. This mileage includes the 45,376-mile Interstate Highway system and 15,668 miles of other important public highways.

Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRAHNET) Mileage in 2000

Interstate	45,376
Non-Interstate	15,668
Total	61,044

The percentage of STRAHNET pavement mileage with acceptable ride quality increased from 93.6 percent in 1995 to 96.3 percent in 2000.

Bridges are an important part of the STRAHNET. In 2000, there were 102,859 STRAHNET bridges. The percent of STRAHNET bridges rated deficient declined from 23.9 percent in 1995 to 21.5 percent in 2000.

Percent of STRAHNET Bridges Rated Deficient

Click here for text description of this exhibit.

Second, highways and transit systems also allow Federal, State, and local officials to respond to emergencies by evacuating populated areas. Highways need excess capacity to accommodate a sudden flow of vehicles in one direction, and to simultaneously allow the quick movement of emergency vehicles in the opposite direction. Transit systems need capacity to deal with the rapid evacuation of metropolitan areas.

Another element of transportation security is the need to improve the integrity of trucks and containers. The Department of Transportation is working with other agencies to create a system to track containers and identify the custodians of the cargo during transportation.

Finally, highways and transit systems are themselves strategic assets. Disruptions can paralyze regional or national economies, making it important to "harden" these structures against threats. The Department of Transportation is working with other agencies to better monitor the critical components of transit systems and better understand how to "harden" sensitive structures like bridges and tunnels.

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Page last modified on November 7, 2014