THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION IN RURAL AMERICA

America's transportation network is a significant component of the rural economy, providing rural residents access to jobs and services and enhancing the movement of commercial products. The transportation network in nonmetropolitan areas of the U.S. is, however, in a state of disrepair. Not only is the physical infrastructure in need of overhaul, but the system will also require many technological changes in order to be satisfactorily modernized. This article provides an overview of the various sectors of the rural U.S. transportation infrastructure network; such as roads and bridges, passenger rail, air service, intercity bus service, local public transit, rural freight rail, and inland waterways; and describes how each sector has experienced infrastructure decline and how this decline affects rural populations. Federal transportation policy issues affecting rural America are also discussed. Balancing the need to upgrade and expand the rural transportation infrastructure with pressures to downsize government will continue to be a major challenge facing rural America.