A new report finds New Hampshire is facing a significant funding shortfall to maintain its roads, highways and bridges.
The state is facing a backlog of $1.3 billion to repair all state-maintained roads, highways and bridges.
That is according to the report issued Tuesday by TRIP, a national transportation research group.
Director of Research and Policy Frank Moretti says 37 percent of the state’s roads and highways are in poor condition.
“By the year 2016, the state anticipates that number to increase to 43 percent based on the current level of repairs that the state is able to afford with their current budget.”
The report finds that the state Department of Transportation would need another $74 million annually to keep roads at current conditions and pay for the widening of I-93.
Representative David Campbell, a Nashua Democrat, wants to increase the gas tax and fees for car and truck registrations gradually over the next several years to help cover the cost of road projects.
There is a competing proposal in the Republican-led Senate that targets revenue from expanded gambling to cover transportation costs.
