NAPA President Mike Acott pointed out that rough roads also cost Americans billions for excess repairs. “The Road Information Program [TRIP] calculates that rough roads cost the average American motorist $324 every year – a total of $67 billion, just for extra wear and tear on vehicles,” Accott said in a written press statement. “Adding this figure to the $12.5 billion in potential fuel savings, we can see that the U.S. could save nearly $80 billion a year by building and maintaining smoother pavements.”

Acott added in the statement: “Congress and other policymakers are looking to incorporate green highway metrics in the pavement selection process. Legislation that has just been introduced in the House of Representatives – the Promoting Green Transportation Infrastructure through Research and Development Act – would identify the independent research studies and assessments in this field of research. This is a logical step in advancing the deployment of ultra-fuel-efficient pavements throughout the country and saving billions of gallons of fuel annually.”