Maine's roads and bridges are in rough shape. Some are even in dangerous shape. Anyone who drives across the state, slaloming around potholes and rumbling over the rusty spans that cross streams and rivers knows that.

And the state doesn't have enough money to fix them.

After the collapse of a Minnesota bridge last summer, Gov. John Baldacci appointed a "Bridge Task Force" to assess the condition of the state's transportation networks. That group reported that the state needed to nearly double its annual investment in bridge repair and maintenance to keep travelers safe and commerce moving. The task force pegged the additional investment at between $50 million and $60 million a year. But that recommendation came after a fierce -- and unsuccessful -- legislative battle to dramatically increase the state's investment in its roads and bridges. And without that money, the necessary bridge work would not get done.

The issue wouldn't die. In a letter sent to Baldacci on April 2nd, Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, and Rep. Boyd Marley, D-Portland, minced no words:

"We are writing to enlist your support to address Maine's crumbling transportation networks. As Co-Chairs of the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Transportation, we are alarmed by the mounting evidence that these networks are increasingly unsafe and are unable to meet the needs of Maine's economy. At the same time, Maine is part of a nationwide transportation funding crisis ... caused by a perfect storm of reduced fuel tax revenues, high operating costs and high construction costs, all of which are driven by historic energy costs and worldwide demand for materials."

Baldacci, appropriately, responded with legislation to invest an additional $160 million over the next four years in bridge construction and preservation. The bill has drawn the support of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, a refreshing sign that the commitment to restoring and maintaining the state's crucial transportation infrastructure transcends partisan politics.

Maine has 2,000 bridges in what the task force calls "fair" or "poor" condition. Baldacci's plan would fix 246 bridges across the state; 80 of those would be full replacements. To pay for the work, three state fees would be hiked: annual vehicle registration fees would rise by $10, to $35; title fees would increase by $10 to $33 per year and the vanity plate fee would rise from $15 per year to $25.

Those increased fees would still be at or below the New England average. While we sympathize with drivers whose excessive vehicle excise fees already strain their budget, in this case there's very little choice for Maine. Either we pay a little more for the privilege of driving on safe bridges -- or we have unsafe bridges.

The Legislature should approve this bill.