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Rep. Roger Albert, R-Madawaska, deserves thanks and praise for his work in the Maine Legislature as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. He is an advocate for investing in much-needed repairs to our roads and bridges and recognizes the need to address the growing backlog of work.
Maine sometimes has a history of passing its problems to the next generation. Still, the bipartisan members of the Transportation Committee stood firm in delivering a sustainable solution to start addressing the issue by securing General Fund dollars. By dedicating some of our sales tax dollars from auto sales, we can use the funds to repair potholes, pave roads, and improve bridges. This means our state can plan more effectively, build better, and prevent passing these issues to future generations.
Maine has the fourth-worst bridge conditions in the country, with more than 15 percent of its bridges rated as structurally deficient. We are all aware of the damage caused by potholes and failing roads; 54 percent of Maine’s major roads are in poor or fair condition.
It’s long overdue for the Maine Legislature to secure funding to fix this problem, and it wouldn’t have happened without the work by the Transportation Committee and members like Rep. Albert.
Richard Sheldon
Caribou
