TRIP

05/31/2026

Mythbuster: Have you ever heard the popular urban legend that one out of every five miles of the Interstate must be built perfectly straight so that military aircraft can land on them during times of war? There is actually no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation!
Stay tuned for more trivia as we lead up to our Interstate Highway System Report being released later in June.

05/28/2026

As we lead up to the launch of our national report about the Interstate Highway System, we have some fun facts!
Did you know?
The National Interstate Highway System features some incredible engineering feats. The highest elevation on the network is 11,158 feet at the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The Eisenhower side opened first in 1973. The Johnson tunnel became operational six years later.
On the flip side, the lowest underwater point drops to 103 feet below sea level at the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95 in Maryland. When it opened to traffic in November 1985, the Fort McHenry Tunnel was the largest underwater highway tunnel, as well as the widest vehicular tunnel built by the immersed tube method in the world.

Image: https://www.roadstothefuture.com/Fort_McHenry_Tunnel.html

05/24/2026

Thank you National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) for the invitation, we hope the members find our information helpful.
If you would like a TRIP speaker at your conference or event, please reach out.

Last week David Kearby, Executive Director of the TRIP – Transportation Road Information Program, https://buff.ly/GCmzVGm updated the Board on TRIP’s efforts to achieve sustainable transportation infrastructure funding.

✅️ Advocacy Tip: NASBP members will find TRIP’s free stats and messaging useful tools for reminding project stakeholders about the importance of bonding construction projects.

Find TRIP’s state-specific reports on surface transportation issues, including road and bridge conditions, traffic congestion, highway safety and economic development here: https://buff.ly/Yko1i9I
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05/20/2026

Thank you Q2 News for sharing information about the latest TRIP report covering Montana

BILLINGS - A new report from national transportation research group TRIP is highlighting concerns about aging infrastructure across Montana, including several bridges in the Billings area rated in poor condition.

05/19/2026

New report released: "Keeping Montana Moving Forward" from TRIP highlights the urgent transportation challenges facing Montana- from deteriorating roads and aging bridges to rising traffic fatalities and growing freight demands.

Key findings:
🚧 31% of Montana’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition
💸 Rough roads cost the average driver an extra $605 annually in vehicle operating costs
🌉 7% of Montana bridges are in poor condition and need immediate repairs
⚠️ Montana had 1,262 traffic fatalities from 2019–2024
📈 Vehicle travel has increased 40% since 2000, among the highest growth rates in the nation
🚛 Freight movement is projected to grow dramatically by 2050

The report also warns that construction costs have surged 52% since 2022, while long-term transportation funding remains uncertain as the current federal surface transportation program approaches expiration later this year.

Montana’s economy, safety, and quality of life depend on continued investment in safe, reliable, and modern infrastructure.

Read more about the report findings and Montana’s top transportation priorities here: https://tripnet.org/reports/keeping-montana-moving-forward-may-2026/

05/18/2026

Working with the Montana Contractors Association, and with cooperation from the Montana Department of Transportation, TRIP will release a MONTANA report at a virtual news conference tomorrow, May 19, at 10:00 a.m. MT.
The TRIP report, titled “Moving Montana Forward: Progress and challenges in achieving a 21st century transportation system in the Big Sky State,” examines road and bridge conditions, traffic safety, increasing travel and funding needs in the Big Sky State. The report also identifies the state’s top transportation challenges in the region.

Further details, including links to attend the virtual news conference, can be found in the media advisory posted on our website. https://tripnet.org/reports/keeping-montana-moving-forward-report-may-2026/

05/15/2026

🚨 NEW REPORT RELEASE 🚨
How are Montana's roads, highways, and bridges holding up under the growing strain of increasing travel and funding pressures?
TRIP will release our latest report: "Moving Montana Forward: Progress and challenges in achieving a 21st century transportation system in the Big Sky State" on Tuesday May 19. Information will be available on www.tripnet.org for attending the press conference and the report will be live at 10am MDT on 5/19.

05/14/2026

This week, TRIP conducted our second quarter board meeting. Thank you to these sponsors who contributed towards this event: Dean Word Co, Hamilton Construction, Haskell Lemon, Industrial Builders, and Sundt. If you are interested in these and other sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to our Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Lisa Mead.

05/06/2026

Associated General Contractors of America, in partnership with HCSS is asking highway and transportation members to complete a brief survey to improve work zone safety. AGC will use the results to support a national media campaign promoting safer summer driving and to strengthen advocacy for stronger work zone safety laws and enforcement. Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2TDMH5W