Something NOT to Dwell on When You Travel: Interstate Bridges in Maine are Among the Worst in the Country

YIKES! Maine ranks fifth in the nation for the highest percentage of Interstate bridges rated in poor condition, according to a new report from the transportation research nonprofit TRIP. Only West Virginia, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois rank worse. Not a particularly comforting thought as you’re rocketing from Augusta to Bangor, is it?

The report says Maine’s 70-year-old Interstate system continues to provide major economic benefits, reducing traffic delays by an estimated 3.5 million hours and saving about one million gallons of fuel each year. It also found Interstate travel in Maine has increased 25 percent since 2000.

“The TRIP report confirms what Maine drivers, businesses and communities already know,” said Jake Lachance, executive director of Maine Better Transportation. “Transportation infrastructure is not a luxury—it’s the foundation of our economy.”