According to its latest state condition report, “Kansas Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility,” TRIP finds 37 percent of the major local and state-maintained urban roads and highways are in poor condition, 26 percent are in mediocre condition, 13 percent are in fair condition and 24 percent are in good condition. Nine percent of the state’s locally and state-maintained bridges are structurally deficient.
Across the state, vehicle operating costs for motorists are $1 billion, with safety-related issues costing another $730 million and traffic congestion reaching $1 billion.
“The economic vitality of our state depends on Kansas commerce, which in turn relies on safe and well-maintained roads and bridges,” says Rodney George, senior vice president of The Benning State Bank. “Our customers, many of which are farmers who need to get their products to market, depend on good roads every day. The financial stress of an underfunded infrastructure program impacts many more businesses and people than just road and bridge construction companies. Kansas citizens deserve a well-funded and sustainable roads program.”
TRIP periodically releases state and national reports such as this one to highlight the need for additional investments for transportation infrastructure at the local, state and national levels. These reports are available at tripnet.org.
