This has shown up in a lot of places and it is certainly worth talking about:
Paved roads, historical emblems of American achievement, are being torn up across rural America and replaced with gravel or other rough surfaces as counties struggle with tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue. State money for local roads was cut in many places amid budget shortfalls.
In Michigan, at least 38 of the 83 counties have converted some asphalt roads to gravel in recent years. Last year, South Dakota turned at least 100 miles of asphalt road surfaces to gravel. Counties in Alabama and Pennsylvania have begun downgrading asphalt roads to cheaper chip-and-seal road, also known as “poor man’s pavement.” Some counties in Ohio are simply letting roads erode to gravel.
The moves have angered some residents because of the choking dust and windshield-cracking stones that gravel roads can kick up, not to mention the jarring “washboard” effect of driving on rutted gravel.
But higher taxes for road maintenance are equally unpopular.
I spent quite a bit of time in Northern Kansas where it seems like all the roads are falling apart, but if you ask the residents about the situation they will blame the evil government and suggest that if the government would just stop wasting money on abortion, all the roads could be fixed. I think rural America is harmed far more by the lack of infra-structure than Urban areas that can figure out ways to finance new roads and other services. It is odd that rural Americans continually support policies that destroy their way of life.