Autoblog

The process of constructing roadways in a Michigan is a long and arduous one that takes many millions of dollars, countless workers standing around and at least five seasons to finish. Roadways here on the home turf of the American auto industry are a unique breed. Even though Windsor, Ontario is just across the river from Detroit and has exactly the same climatic conditions, its roads are completely different from those in Michigan. That becomes immediately apparent as your roll off the Ambassador Bridge. We here at Autoblog strive to keep you, our loyal readers, informed about all things even vaguely related to cars. Therefore, we present our step-by-step guide to the creation of a Michigan road.

The process typically starts in the spring as soon as the salt has been rinsed away. Before the first crocuses pop out of the dirt, the crews start setting out signs and orange barrels along the edges of the most heavily traveled thoroughfares. There they typically sit for anywhere from one to four weeks before the crews return to start closing off lanes of traffic. After another interval of random length, the heavy equipment begins to arrive and the process of tearing apart the existing pavement begins. Just to make sure that no one accidentally misses out on the fun, the same scenario is usually repeated along several parallel paths that might serve as alternate routes between any two major points that people commute.

Learn about the rest of the process after the jump.

The argument for SUVs may be a little stronger in California after a report released by TRIP, a national transportation research group, shows that five cities in the Golden state rank among the top ten urban areas with the roughest roads. The Cali towns with the roughest rides include San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland, San Diego and Sacramento. They're joined by other U.S. cities with pot hole-ridden roads like St. Louis, Omaha, New York City and New Orleans (pre-Katrina).

California also beats out the industry average for the percentage of its roads that are in poor condition. TRIP estimates that one-half to two-thirds of California's interstates, freeways and local roads are rough riding, compared to the national average for states, which is just 25 percent.

Of course, the failure of California or any state to maintain all that ribbon of road hits motorists right in the pocketbook in the form of higher operating costs. Not only is the life of one's vehicle dramatically reduced from the incessant pounding it receives, but increased repairs and poorer gas mileage also ding the driver in his wallet.

What are TRIP's predictions: it's only going to get worse. Population in these urban areas is ever increasing, and with more people comes more cars. At some point calling these areas urban will be a stretch, as their roads are beginning to resemble places like the Rubicon Trail more and more each day.

[Source: The Auto Channel]