WASHINGTON, D.C. — America’s rural transportation and infrastructure system needs vast improvements, according to a recent report released by TRIP, a national nonprofit transportation research group.

“America’s rural transportation network plays a key role in the success and quality of life for U.S. farmers and ranchers,” said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “But deteriorated and deficient rural roads and bridges are hindering our nation’s agricultural goods from reaching markets at home and abroad, and slowing the pace of economic growth in rural America.”

Based in Wash-ington, D.C., TRIP found the nation’s rural transportation system is in need of improvements to address deficient roads and bridges, high crash rates and inadequate connectivity and capacity. In addition, its report found traffic crashes and fatalities on rural roads are disproportionately high, occurring at a rate nearly three times higher than on all other roads.

Despite a substantial decrease in the number of overall fatalities, Stallman said rural traffic fatality rates remain high. In 2013, non-interstate rural roads had a traffic fatality rate of 2.2 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles of travel, compared to a fatality rate on all other roads of 0.75 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. The TRIP report rated all states and found Michigan to be the No. 1 state with 37 percent of its “rural pavement in poor condition.” It ranked Iowa third in the nation for having 22 percent of its rural bridges “structurally deficient,” while Michigan ranked 14th.

The report also said Tennessee’s rural fatality rate was 2.38 percent, compared to 1.03 percent on all other roads, while Kentucky’s was 2.24 percent, compared to 0.7 percent on all other roads.

According to the TRIP report: “The quality of life in America’s small communities and rural areas and the health of the nation’s rural economy is highly reliant on the quality of the nation’s rural transportation system, particularly its roads, highways and bridges.

“America’s rural transportation system provides the first and last link in the supply chain from farm to market while supporting the tourism industry and enabling the growing production of energy, food and fiber. Rural Americans are more reliant on the quality of their transportation system than their urban counterparts.”

Janet Kavinoky, executive director of transportation and infrastructure at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said “America’s rural transportation system enables the farm-to-market supply chain, supports our tourism and energy industries and allows for the production of the goods and services that are vital to our nation’s economic health and growth.

“But years of inadequate transportation funding have left a deficient rural transportation network that does not meet present-day demands. Improving the transportation system will create jobs today and leave a lasting asset for future generations.”

The TRIP report stated the country needs to adopt transportation policies that would “improve rural transportation connectivity, safety and conditions to provide the nation’s small communities and rural areas with safe and efficient access to support quality of life and enhance economic productivity.

“To accomplish this, the report recommends modernizing and extending key routes to accommodate personal and commercial travel, implementing needed roadway safety improvements, improving public transit access to rural areas and adequately funding the preservation and maintenance of rural transportation assets.”

Will Wilkins, TRIP executive director, said with long-term federal transportation legislation “stuck in political gridlock in Washington, economic growth in America’s rural communities could be threatened.”

“Funding the modernization of our rural transportation system will create jobs and help ensure long-term economic development and quality of life in rural America,” he added.

The Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 authorized approximately $10.8 billion, which provides money for transportation programs across the country in the federal surface transportation program, which was set to expire May 31. But on May 19, the House passed, 387-35, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, providing a two-month extension for transportation funding.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) started the process to advance a highway bill extension.

On June 24, its Environment and Public Works Committee approved a six-year, $278 billion highway measure to address funding for rural transportation improvements, which is set to expire July 31.

Kathleen Bower, AAA vice president of public affairs, said the federal surface transportation program is a critical source of funding for rural roads. “The 61 million people who live in America’s rural heartland deserve a transportation system that is safe, efficient and reliable,” she said.

Last month, the Iowa legislature passed an increase in the fuel tax, which will provide constitutionally-protected funding to repair Iowa’s roads and bridges. “This is a culmination of years of work and grassroots strength by rural Iowans, and as a result, rural Iowa will receive an additional $72 million per year to maintain and improve county roads,” said Craig Hill, president of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.