We're barely making the grade, people.

That was the diagnosis from the Maine section of the American Society of Civil Engineers last week, anyway. The message to Mainers was straightforward: Bridges and roads aren't up to snuff.

In a "report card" released last week, ASCE graded Maine's bridges as a D+ and roads as a D. Passenger transportation, ports and railroads in the state fell in the C range. The only transportation infrastructure that did better than mediocre were the airports, with a B-.

Erik Wiberg, president of the Maine section of ASCE, said the report was presented to state government leaders, state departments, the Maine Turnpike Authority and other transportation officials. Many, if not all, of them were none too surprised by the engineering association's assessment.

"The reaction, from my perspective in any case, was very cordial," Wiberg said. "I think there was an understanding that our infrastructure needed investments prior to this. The report card said that in black and white."

Wiberg is the chief geotechnical engineer for R.W. Gillespie and Associates. (He evaluates soil condition in relation to building and road support and landslide potential.)

What alarmed the Kennebec Commuter more than anything else was the D+ on the state's bridges. We like bridges. We, along with thousands of our loyal readers, drive on bridges every day. Frankly, we don't want to be waiting on a bridge in traffic someday and have it snap, Minneapolis-style, under us.

Recently, Maine Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Gregory Nadeau announced that Maine will need $3.3 billion to modernize the state's roads and bridges over the next decade. A lot could be done with $3.3 billion -- first and foremost, buying a seat in Illinois's Senate for you and 10 of your closest friends.

But wait, it gets better.

ASCE said because of road conditions, anyone who drives in this state is spending an average of $285 a year to repair and maintain his or her own vehicle. Who wants to put a couple hundred bucks into a car when there's heating oil to buy right now?

None of the powers-that-be said they found the grading unfair, but they were quick to say efforts already have begun to scrape the tip of the iceberg in the funding costs for roads and bridges, the effects of which weren't included in the report.

Through her spokesman, Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell assured that "recent bonding and state investments have begun to make a dent, but the problem is far too big for one state to handle alone."

The state, Mitchell continued, will need to partner with the federal government.

"(Federal officials) have an opportunity to help Maine if they pass a big stimulus package next year," she said.

The Maine Department of Transportation more or less agreed with the senator.

"We weren't surprised by the news, no," Nadeau said, adding Maine Department of Transportation even provided some of the figures for ASCE to work with when compiling the report. "(The report) was consistent with the projections and needs for Maine."

Nadeau said Mainers aren't staring a $3.3 billion tab straight in the face, either.

"Bridges, of course, stand out; and that's an area the Legislature made an investment in last year," he said.

At the end of the last legislative session, lawmakers raised $160 million in new funds toward a $440 million program aimed at maintaining 246 of the state's bridges.

The four-year program is already under way, Nadeau said, and was prior to ASCE releasing the report.

"What we look forward to now is the federal government expanding its role to help us continue to maintain our infrastructure with the pending stimulus package," Nadeau said.

Follow Meghan Malloy's commuter blog and track the cheapest gasoline prices in town daily at www.kjonline.com.