Idaho should increase taxes to repair roads
Idaho’s bridges need some help. Nearly 22 percent of Idaho’s 4,323 bridges are deficient in some way, whether the structure is in poor condition or the bridge is obsolete by design.
Unfortunately, deficient bridges can have some serious consequences. The most notable case came about two years ago in Mount Vernon, Washington, when a semi-trailer made contact with an overhead beam and caused the Skagit River Bridge to collapse.
Ryan Tarinelli
Although there were no serious injuries, the collapse sent three cars into the Skagit River, resulted in long traffic lines and prompted Gov. Jay Inslee to order a state of emergency for the three surrounding counties.
Many of Idaho’s bridges are classified under the same rating as the Skagit River Bridge was at the time of the accident, according to the National Bridge Inventory.
Bridges are only one part of an aging and ailing transportation infrastructure that extends across the U.S.
At least Idahoans can take solace in the fact the state ranks 22nd out of 50 when it comes to the amount of deficient bridge area compared to other states. And Idaho is doing better than a few of its neighbors — Washington has 38.9 percent of its bridge area classified as deficient where Oregon has 32.3 percent.
Safe roads are a necessity for rural communities. Driving is the primary transportation option and is critical to the statewide economy and the movement of goods throughout the state.
Infrastructure funding seems to have taken a back seat in Idaho in recent years. Legislators did not take action on a task force recommendation in 2010 that called for spending an additional $262 million to maintain deficient bridges.
Their inaction is understandable on a certain level, Idaho is a red state and raising taxes is usually met with intense opposition. Road repair is not a sexy topic and it’s easy to adopt an “it’s-not-broken-so-why-should-we-fix-it” mentality. But it’s also careless.
That’s why it’s nice to see the legislature take on a topic deserving of their time and effort.
Recently, Rep. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, introduced a bill that aims to fund transportation upkeep projects by increasing gasoline taxes by 8 cents per gallon and the diesel tax by 12 cents per gallon. This alone is estimated to bring in $68 million in the first year.
The bill also looks at other ways to increase transportation funding and is estimated to raise $200 million a year after a three-year phase-in period.
While there is little doubt the bill needs to be reworked, this is what Idaho roads need. Its introduction is an important first step in addressing a necessary issue that affects the economic stability of the state and the safety of its residents.
Ryan Tarinelli can be reached at [email protected]