By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – If you’re having a bumpy ride of it today, we hear you.

TRIP, described as a non-profit transportation research organization, is out with its periodic report of the condition of the nation’s highways and bridges.

With the report showing Illinois is third in the nation in the percentage (eight) of poor to structurally deficient bridges, it would seem the state’s Rebuild Illinois construction program is coming at the right time.

“From 2000 to 2019, travel on Illinois’ interstates increased by 17 percent,” said Rocky Morretti, director of policy and research at TRIP. “By this spring, it was back to six percent below pre-pandemic levels, so traffic’s coming back. Moving forward, a significant boost in Illinois’ highway investment is going to be critical.”

And with cars using less gasoline – or none at all – Morretti says there has to be a conversation about overhauling the way we pay for roads.

“A number of states are looking at models that would allow them to determine the amount of driving it without invading people’s privacy,” Morretti said. “There is going to have to be an equitable way that people who are using the system are paying for it.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].