Legislative Auditor: MnDOT needs more money to meet basic needs
A report by the Legislative Auditor says MnDOT needs more money to meet basic needs. The report says the structural conditions of the state's bridges has gotten better since 2002 but highway pavement has deteriorated over the same period. The report also found that half of the funding for highway construction has been directed to new highway and bridge construction even though the department claims to have a preservation first policy. The report says MnDOT will need to direct virtually all of the trunk highway fund to preservation rather than new construction starting in 2012.
The audit says 55% of the state's bridges are in good condition compared with 51% in 2002. The audit also notes that fewer crews are doing routine maintenance due to budget restrictions and MnDOT doesn't adequately follow up on inspectors' recommendations for upkeep. Read the full report here.
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