Transportation funding crucial to economy, citizen safety
Shawn Keough
By now you’ve heard about the discussion at the Idaho Legislature regarding Idaho’s need for funding our deteriorating transportation system. The Governor’s Transportation Task Force, of which I was a member, identified a $543 million annual shortfall in the state’s transportation system, and $262 million annually is necessary just to preserve the existing system.
Idaho’s hundreds of bridges are of a particular concern. Over the last few weeks we’ve heard even more dire warnings from transportation officials and the Governor about Idaho’s aging and structurally deficient bridges.
There are 4,198 state and local bridges in Idaho, and more than half of them will be over the age of 50 years by 2019. According to projections from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), less than 80 percent of Idaho’s bridges will be considered in “good” condition - the ideal goal is to meet that 80 percent threshold.
The most disturbing statistic may be the one that Governor Otter pointed out during his State of the State address last month “That number will grow to almost 900 bridges by 2019, even after completing work on the 68 for which we currently have funding.”
The ITD has explained the situation in a different way. ITD has told us that most Idaho bridges were built during the interstate construction era of the 1950s and ‘60s and were designed to last 40-60 years before being replaced. At current funding levels bridges will have to last 120 years.
Our area has not been spared from this problem. According to the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council’s (LHTAC) Idaho Road and Bridge inventory, just in Bonner and Boundary counties alone, the condition is bleak.
There are 36 bridges over 50 years and 22 that are between 40 and 49 years old. Those are bridges that you and I and our families are crossing over every day that need to be repaired to keep them safe. You can access this information for yourself at: http://lhtac.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/local_road_bridge_inventory_2014_v4d.pdf
Most experts agree that it is time to address Idaho’s infrastructure with more funding. Many legislators, including me, are committed to finding a solution to addressing roads and bridges in Idaho.
Although none of us really care for paying more taxes, the fiscally conservative thing to do is to take care of this problem now before it gets more expensive as we delay this decision. Like a roof that has just sprung a leak, we must fix it now rather than wait till the entire roof needs replacing.
I’ll focus on being fair in spreading the added taxes across several different options and continuing to demand accountability and efficiencies in the use of our money by ITD and our local road districts and departments.
A variety of different bills on transportation funding will be introduced in the next few weeks and you can follow their progress at www.legislature.idaho.gov as well as send email to myself and all the other legislators to let us know your opinion on this issue during our deliberations.
My email address is skeough@senate.idaho.gov or you can leave a phone message for me at this toll free number: 1-800-626-0471.
As always, I feel honored and privileged to serve the citizens of our area in the Idaho State Senate. Thank you and please stay in touch.