BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - A new report evaluating road and bridge conditions says Bangor area motorists lose nearly $1,600 a year on roads that are rough, congested, and lack some safety features.
The report released by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation research nonprofit, says the the cost to Mainers statewide is $1.3 billion.
”This report highlights the need for funding,” said Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow.
The TRIP report shows twenty-four percent of major locally and state maintained roads in the Bangor area are in poor condition, costing the average motorist money in accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, increased fuel consumption, and tire wear.
”The report emphasizes those very real challenges that we’re experiencing in the Bangor region,” Conlow added. “Based on our geography and our proximity to the larger markets, our dependence on vehicle truck transportation is really important.”
More than $80 billion in goods are shipped to-and-from Maine annually. The importance of keeping trucks on the road has been magnified over the past year.
“All the goods and services we need through this pandemic have moved by truck,” said Maine Motor Transport Association Vice President Tim Doyle. “In order to do this, we need a safe, reliable, and efficient roadway. So, when repairs are up due to poor maintenance, or when congestion slows down the delivery of goods, all that amounts to dollars spent unnecessarily.”
After receiving annual federal funding, Maine has to address a funding gap of $160 million. The TRIP report says that may be a high price in the short term, but a necessity for Bangor- and Maine- in the long run.
“I think the need is clear, and the time to do maintenance is now,” Doyle said. “It doesn’t get any cheaper to defer maintenance. In order to have a vital economy, we need to have this backbone in our state to be efficient.”
Click here to read the full TRIP report.
Copyright 2021 WABI. All rights reserved.
"need" - Google News
February 05, 2021 at 05:29AM
https://ift.tt/2O8NgKg
Report shows need for funding for Maine roads - WABI
"need" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3c23wne
https://ift.tt/2YsHiXz
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Report shows need for funding for Maine roads - WABI"
Post a Comment