8/30/07 - Group: Find the Funds to Fix Rural Iowa's Ailing Roads & Bridges
Des Moines, IA - The Minneapolis bridge collapse has encouraged many to take a look at some of Iowas outdated roads and bridges for replacement or repair. The Governor has already turned down the idea of a hike in the state gas tax to pay for the work, but Neil Ritchie with the League of Rural Voters says lawmakers will need to find some way to pay to repair the most dangerous bridges.
"While there will be some short term pain from this, in the long term, the investments will pay off from economic development from a more stable infrastructure."
Ritchie says without the investment the economy of rural Iowa will suffer. He says a recent Iowa Department of Transportation report predicts that if nothing is done, we can expect a nearly $28 billion shortfall in funds for repairs in the coming decades. In part, he blames a decline in federal funding.
"Clearly, the federal government has a long way to go in terms of making up for lost revenues."
Ritchie suggests that some of the new revenue could come from existing sources, including fuel taxes, motor vehicle registration fees, use taxes, and drivers license fees, some of which have remained unchanged for years. Many of the 25,000 bridges in Iowa that are in the most critical shape are in rural areas.
www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/6160/group_find_the_funds_to_fix_rural_iowas_ailing_roads_bridges
