ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Lt. Governor Tina Smith and Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle will join a bridge inspection team at the 16th Street SW Bridge in Rochester to highlight the importance of ongoing investments in bridge infrastructure. This week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will kick-off its annual inspection season by inspecting 900 bridges in southeast Minnesota

 

This year, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith have proposed a 21st Century transportation plan that would make the sustainable, long-term investments necessary to build a better transportation network, improve connectivity and safety, and spur Minnesota’s innovation economy forward.

 

“More than 50 percent our roads are more than 50-years-old, while more than 40 percent of bridges are 40-years-old. Sustainable, comprehensive investments are essential to the long-term vitality and safety our transportation systems,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “The plan proposed by Democrats would provide the resources we need to create a 21st Century transportation system and build an economy that works for all Minnesotans, everywhere in Minnesota.”

 

As part of the inspection, Lt. Governor Smith will join a Department of Transportation team today in an inspection vehicle called a snooper truck, which has a multi-jointed arm with a basket on the end to hold inspectors. Inspectors then can maneuver the basket over, under, and around a bridge to review the bridge from all angles.

 

Across the state, the Department of Transportation keeps a watchful eye on 20,501 state and local bridges. Each year, the Department’s bridge inspectors conduct several thousand bridge inspections. Every bridge in the state is inspected at least every two years, and some are inspected annually, depending on age and condition.

 

“Bridge inspections serve two important functions. They assure safety of our bridges and transportation system, and they provide solid data for bridge investment decisions on repairs and replacements,” said Commissioner Charlie Zelle. “Bridge inspection and bridge maintenance are relatively small investments in our transportation infrastructure, but they help us achieve the maximum service life of our bridges while keeping the system safe.”

 

The Department of Transportation also provides the expertise and equipment to inspect a large number of bridges for cities and counties, such as the 16th Street SW Bridge in Rochester, to ensure safety, as well as guide plans for maintenance and replacement.

 

Even with thorough maintenance and monitoring, bridges typically last approximately 50 years. Once a bridge reaches its expected lifetime, maintenance and monitoring become more expensive and intensive. By 2025, it’s estimated that 850 bridges across Minnesota will need significant repair or require complete replacement.

 

High-quality, modern transportation infrastructure drives economic growth and competitiveness. That’s why Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith support a transportation investment that will reinvigorate Minnesota’s transportation systems – ensuring that we have a statewide transportation solution that works for all Minnesotans.

 

Investing in Roads and Bridges – Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith’s transportation solution would repair or replace 2,200 miles of roads and 330 bridges statewide. The plan would also give local leaders the resources and flexibility to repair and replace local roads and bridges in their communities by directing over 40 percent of the new revenues to cities, counties, and townships.

 

·         Aging Roads and Bridges – Right now, more than half of Minnesota’s roads are more than 50 years old, and 40 percent of the state’s bridges are more than 40 years old. In just the next three years alone, one in five Minnesota roads will pass their useful life. And in the next ten years, nearly 40 percent of our roads will be past their useful life.

 

·         High Costs for Commuters and Businesses – Poor roads cost Minnesota motorists $1.2 billion every year in extra vehicle repairs, and Minnesota businesses spend an extra $232 million each year on additional freight transportation costs caused by traffic congestion.

 

·         A $6 Billion Problem – Last year, Governor Dayton and legislative leaders reached agreement on the scope of Minnesota’s growing transportation needs. Currently, Minnesota faces a $6 billion funding gap for state highways over the next decade that will only get bigger the longer we wait. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith remain committed to reaching a common ground, common sense solution this year on how to fund a long-term, comprehensive transportation solution to build a better Minnesota for everyone, everywhere in our state.

 

FACT SHEET: Fixing Our Roads, Bridges, and Transit Systems [Link]

 

FACT SHEET: Transportation Investments Listed by County, City [Link]