Untitled Document

Idaho given collective 'C-' for infrastructure condition;
report says 45 percent of roads are 'poor or mediocre'

The American Society of Civil Engineers shared good news and bad this week. In its overview of America’s infrastructure condition, the 2013 Report Card, the cumulative grade showed slight improvement since the last report, issued in 2009.

But the improvement is tempered – it rose from a collective D- to a D+ the past four years. The nation’s bridges were among the stronger performers at a C+; roads earned a solid D.

Idaho earned a combined grade of C- in the 10 categories surveyed: aviation (C). bridges (D+), dams (C), drinking water (C+), education (C-), energy (C+), rail (C+), roads (C-), state highways (D+) and transit (D).

Driving on roads that need repair costs Idaho motorists $316 million a year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs – or an average of $305 per motorist, according to the report.

It indicates that 45 percent of the roads (48,180 miles) are in poor or mediocre condition. In 2009, Idaho motorists logged an average of 10,057 miles per person, ranking the state 27th nationally. The state’s gas tax of 25 cents per gallon has not changed in 16 years – or when 1997 automobiles were coming off the assembly line.

Of the 4,214 bridges in Idaho, 397 (9.4 percent) were considered structurally deficient and 440 (10.4 percent) were listed as functionally obsolete. Idaho received $18.2 million from the Federal Highway Bridge Fund in FY11.

The report’s only notation on Idaho airports was the total number of 119. It also indicated that travelers logged 2,142 annual unlinked passenger trips on the state’s transit systems, bus, heavy rail, light rail and commuter rail.

Idaho has 12 freight railroads that span 1,627 miles, ranking the state 37th in mileage.

The state ranks 33rd in the nation for inland waterways (110 miles), and its ports handled 700,000 million short tons of cargo in 2009, ranking 38th in the country.

ASCE mentioned two major infrastructure accomplishments since its last report, an investment by Idaho Power in “smart meters” that can be read remotely, and efforts at the Port of Lewiston to increase international trade. Idaho has trade offices in Taiwan, China and Mexico and actively encourages companies to maximize their trade business by relocating to the Gem state.

See the ASCE full report.