News Release: Minnesota Faces $2.8 Billion Transportation Funding Shortfall; Between $43 – $53 Million in Needed Rochester Projects

Thursday, May 4, 2017 
Report available at: tripnet.org

Contact: Rocky Moretti 202.262.0714 (cell)
TRIP office 202.466.6706

MINNESOTA FACES $2.8 BILLION TRANSPORTATION FUNDING SHORTFALL, LEADING TO INCREASINGLY DETERIORATED & CONGESTED ROADS AMID DECLINING TRANSPORTATION FUNDING. BETWEEN $43 – $53 MILLION IN NEEDED ROCHESTER PROJECTS NOT ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD
Eds.: The report includes lists of unfunded transportation projects statewide and in Duluth, the Twin Cities and Rochester that are needed to improve conditions, relieve traffic congestion and improve traffic safety.

Rochester, MN– Amid a declining level of funding available for maintenance and improvement to the state’s roads and bridges, Minnesota faces a $2.8 billion transportation funding shortfall over the next four years, leading to deteriorating road and bridge conditions, a lack of safety improvements, and increasing congestion due to increases in vehicle travel. This is according to a new report by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization. TRIP’s report identifies unfunded transportation projects in the Rochester area, costing between $43 and $53 million, that are needed to improve conditions, relieve traffic congestion and improve traffic safety. The amount of funding available for road maintenance and improvements by the state, counties and municipalities is projected to decrease by 16 percent from FY2016 to FY2021.

The TRIP report, “Moving Minnesota Forward: Challenges in Providing Safe, Efficient and Well-Maintained Roads, Highways and Bridges,” examines road and bridge conditions, travel trends, economic development, highway safety, transportation funding, and the status of needed transportation improvements in the Rochester area and statewide.

Twenty-eight percent of Minnesota’s major locally and state-maintained, urban roads and highways have pavements in poor condition and 21 percent are rated in mediocre condition. Sixteen percent of the state’s major urban roads are rated in fair condition and the remaining 35 percent are rated in good condition. In the Rochester area, 50 percent of major roads are in poor or mediocre condition. Due to a lack of funding, the number of lane miles of state-maintained roads in poor condition is projected to increase by 80 percent from 2015 to 2020, from 535 miles in poor condition to 963 miles.

Six percent of Minnesota’s bridges are structurally deficient, meaning there is significant deterioration to the major components of the bridge. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) estimates that, based on available funding, the number of state-maintained bridges rated in poor condition will increase by approximately 70 percent between 2016 and 2020, from 23 bridges to 39 bridges.

“The data is clear,” said Julie Ring, executive director of the Association of Minnesota Counties. “Minnesota’s transportation system is facing critical needs and the cost of maintaining and improving our network of roads, bridges and transit systems grows every year. It’s time for the Legislature and Governor to compromise and move forward a comprehensive transportation funding package that addresses the needs throughout our state.”

Increasing levels of traffic congestion cause significant delays in Minnesota, particularly in its larger urban areas, choking commuting and commerce. In the Rochester area, the average driver loses 13 hours annually as a result of traffic congestion. Traffic congestion costs the average Rochester area driver $282 each year in the form of lost time and wasted fuel.

“Congestion in cities isn’t our only concern,” said Beth Hodgman, safety advocate. “Safety on our rural highways can’t wait any longer. Unless we see a substantial investment like this report outlines, we will not see the improvements needed.”

The chart below details needed projects in the Rochester area that will not have adequate funding to start prior to 2022.