Rural as a defined concept varies greatly. People residing in large metropolitan areas often view smaller cities as rural, and some people living in rural areas consider small cities to be urban.
The U.S. Department of Transportation classifies rural in two ways. Under its highway classification, rural is anything outside an area with a population of 5,000. Under its outdoor advertising regulations, rural is considered to be anywhere outside of metropolitan areas 50,000 or greater in population.
— Rural transportation is generally very decentralized; most roads are funded and maintained by varying levels of government.
— More than one-third of America’s population lives outside of urbanized areas, and rural America makes up more than 80 percent of the nation’s land, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
— The demographics, mobility needs and resources of rural areas are different than those of urban areas.
Common problems for rural transportation
• Two-lane highways where mobility can be easily disrupted by an accident or a slow-moving vehicle and where there are very few alternate routes.
• Animal–vehicle collisions are common and costly.
• Challenging driving conditions due to severe weather, steep mountain grades, narrow bridges, sharp curves, or wildlife near the roadway.
• Gaps in wireless communication coverage.
Twitter
Facebook