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The Illinois Soybean Association sanctioned a study to show the
economic impact of rural bridges and their current condition.
The association said agricultural productivity is expected to
grow by 15% to 30% over the next 20 years, so the need for
efficient infrastructure will only become more critical.
"We wanted to know who has ownership of the bridges and what
condition they are in and also how much money would be in
savings to people who use the Illinois roadways,” ISA Market
Development committee chair Brady Hoist said.
ISA reports that 65% of Illinois’ nearly 27,000 rural bridges
statewide are in fair or poor condition. The study showed that
72% of bridges in rural Illinois are owned by local governments,
making repairs challenging due to budget constraints.
Hoist said bridge outings would have a significant negative
impact on farmers, especially during harvest.
“If these deteriorating bridges are not repaired or replaced,
they will be given weight restrictions or be closed,” said
Hoist. “If this happens, the resulting detours will increase
transportation costs and travel time for farmers and other
roadway users, negatively impacting farmers’ livelihoods and the
overall health of our state’s economy.”
The study showed for every dollar invested in Illinois bridge
maintenance results in nearly $5 in benefits for all roadway
users, and bridge investments in the state will provide
approximately 52,640 jobs, a labor income of $2.83 billion, and
an added economic value of $5.63 billion over the next 30 years.
“Investing in bridges isn’t just a good deal for Illinois
farmers, it’s a win for all Illinois citizens,” said Holst. |
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