The US state of West Virginia faces a transportation funding shortfall of $5bn from 2009 to 2018, according to a report by TRIP, a national transportation research group.

The report entitled Future Mobility in West Virginia: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility says that deficient bridges and roads in mediocre condition will remain unfunded unless the state addresses this funding gap.

The report found that 8% of the state’s roads are in poor condition while 29% are in mediocre condition. In addition, 15% of bridges 20 feet or longer are classed as structurally deficient and another 22% are functionally obsolete.

The West Virginia Department of Transport estimates that $9.75bn is required through 2018 for implementing various road development projects.

However, the state estimates, from the previous decade of funds, that only $5bn will be available during that time.

The projects that lacked funding include the widening of I-81, I-64 and I-79 to six lanes in Martinsburg, St. Albans and Fairmont and the replacement of the Dick Henderson Bridge in St. Albans.

These also include the upgrade of US 119, I-77 interstate and the construction of a flyover ramp from I-64 to US 119 southbound in Kanawha County to reduce collisions.

In addition, the report revealed that the states traffic fatality rate of 2.10 fatalities per 100 million miles of travel is the third highest in the US and 54% higher than the national average.