The South Dakota Legislature’s Highway Needs and Financing Interim Committee meets in Pierre Tuesday and Wednesday to take input on the state’s roads and bridges. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Mike Vehle of Mitchell says they’ll hear several reports and define the state’s road needs and determine where they want to be in the future.
Congress recently approved a short term highway bill that funds infrastructure through May. Vehle says states need more certainty and want the feds to provide them that so they can plan for 5 and 6 years down the road. He says one major concern this year in South Dakota is the bumper harvest and lack of rail service which will put more pressure on state roads and bridges.
Vehle says the interim committee’s final meeting will be in November and he’s hoping they’ll have more information from the federal government that will help them plan for future needs. He says they hope to have a recommendation come out of that meeting for the full legislature to consider in January.