Are Jersey drivers riding on the highways from hell, both physically and fiscally? The answer depends on who interprets the findings of the 19th annual highway report by the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation, which rated New Jersey’s highways fifth from the bottom, despite giving the state the distinction of spending the most per mile in the nation.

The report, released last week, found some positive news, including that New Jersey had the fourth-fewest highway fatalities in the nation and that the number of deficient bridges has been reduced. While ranked 45th in the nation, the other good news was that Jersey roads ranked better than in 2006, when they placed 50th.

The new report said New Jersey spends $1.1 million per mile on the 3,332 miles of highways under its jurisdiction — nearly twice runner-up Florida’s $670,000 per mile. The analysis includes New Jersey’s three major toll roads and roads maintained by the state Department of Transportation, but not municipal and county roads.

New Jersey DOT officials said that its ranking on spending or disbursements doesn’t accurately reflect the cost of every project. They argue that large, complex projects, such as rebuilding an interstate highway will hit the $1.1 million mark, but that smaller ones such as removing old pavement and repaving a section of Route 1 comes in cheaper, at $440,000 per mile. And they said there are other factors at play, such as New Jersey’s high cost of living and labor costs, heavy traffic volume and aging infrastructure. Read full story in APP.