WASHINGTON, D.C. — America’s rural transportation system is in need of repairs and modernization to support economic growth and improve traffic safety in the nation’s heartland, but the U.S. faces a $211 billion backlog in funding for needed repairs and improvements to the rural transportation system.
Data shows that Iowa is third worst in the nation in the number of poor or structurally deficient rural bridges at 20 percent.
This is according to a new report released today by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit. The report, Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America’s Heartland, evaluates the safety and condition of the nation’s rural roads and bridges and finds that America’s rural transportation system is in need of immediate improvements to address deficient roads and bridges, high crash rates, and inadequate connectivity and capacity.
The importance of the rural transportation system as the backbone of the nation’s energy, food and fiber supply chain has been heightened during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the nation’s rural transportation challenges will require a significant increase in investment, but the tremendous decrease in vehicle travel that has occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to reduce state transportation revenues by at least 30 percent — approximately $50 billion — over the next 18 months.
The chart below ranks states based on their rate of rural pavements in poor condition, share of rural bridges that are rated poor/structurally deficient, and fatality rates on non-Interstate, rural roads.