Rural roads in Maine are some of the worst in the nation

A new report from TRIP, a transportation research nonprofit, shows Maine’s rural roads and bridges are in poor condition compared with other states.

Maine’s roads ranked 10th worst in the country, and the state’s bridges are 7th.

Construction crews take advantage of fewer vehicles on the road

Bridges rated poor/structurally deficient have significant deterioration to the major components of the bridge and are often posted for lower weight or closed to traffic, restricting or redirecting large vehicles, including agricultural equipment, commercial trucks, school buses and emergency services vehicles, according to TRIP.

Rural roads and bridges are crucial for our local and national food supply chain. Farmers depend on them to move products.

The U.S. is now facing a $200 billion backlog in funding for needed repairs across the country.