Our bridges are overloaded

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Iowa ranks 26th among states in physical size. But our state ranks 13th in road miles, largely because we have an extensive farm-to-market system designed to serve our vital agricultural economy.

With so many miles of roads, we also have many bridges - more than 24,000 of them longer than 20 feet, and 19,000-plus are on county roads. One in five need of serious repair - the fourth worst rate of deficiency in the nation. Many deficient or obsolete bridges are in rural areas. And because of heavier use, and funding that hasn't kept pace with the need, these bridges and roads are deteriorating at a rate faster than government is fixing or replacing them.

This scenario is unacceptable. Bridges are lifelines for commerce and daily life. Iowa leaders need to tackle this problem head on, not defer it any longer, for our state's economic well-being.

Iowa bridges carry about $115 billion worth of products every year, a huge portion of the state's nearly $150 billion-plus gross domestic product.

But state transportation experts estimate revenue is running about $200 million short every year just to adequately maintain all existing roads and bridges. Repair and replacement costs have soared, in part because of higher petroleum costs. More fuel-efficient cars means fewer gallons used and, thus, less state and federal gas tax - the primary source for transportation funding.

Meanwhile, much bigger, heavier farm equipment rumbles over many roads and bridges never designed to carry such heavy loads. Even as there are fewer and fewer farmers, more commuters live in the country and use these roads to get to work in job centers such as Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Load limits are posted on rural bridges but too often are ignored, county engineers tell us Deterioration accelerates. So do safety risks. The outlook is nasty.

County officials are improvising and innovating. Old railroad flat cars become small bridges. Paved roads are returned to gravel roads. More little-used bridges and roads are closed.

But those options won't be enough for long. And there is not enough savings to be found elsewhere in the state budget.

Solutions?

One option that's been debated but avoided the past couple of years is raising Iowa's gas tax - unchanged since 1989. Another 10 cents per gallon would yield $210 million a year and cost the average Iowan about $50 more. Motorists from other states would pay about 20 percent of the total.

Farmers are exempted from paying tax on fuel used in their equipment. It seems fair they contribute more to the public infrastructure they use. Perhaps a fee on heavy equipment that beats up roads and bridges.

Legislators face tough budget choices when they convene in January. They must draw priorities. Such as finally making tough decisions on how to pay for the roads and bridges we depend on.