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9 <br /> <br />With 578 structures, our bridges and large box culverts also have a significant asset value. Of the 229 major <br />structures (20 feet in length or greater), the average structure length is 100 feet with an average width of 28 <br />feet. Replacement values for these 229 structures, at a cost of $375 per square foot would be approximately <br />$240 million. <br /> <br />When factoring in the additional cost to replace the 349 minor structures, the total replacement cost of our <br />highway and bridge infrastructure is nearly $700 million. While no local government can bear the replacement <br />cost of this large amount of infrastructure, it emphasizes the importance of funding and sustaining an effective <br />maintenance program. An organized and well-planned maintenance and replacement program will keep <br />replacement costs down, efficiently spend the County’s resources, extend the life of our infrastructure, and <br />ensure the long-term viability of our highway system. <br />Funding Maintenance and Construction <br />The County relies upon a combination of the 23-cent state fuel tax that was last updated in 2005, state motor <br />vehicle license fees, federal road and bridge funds, local property tax, and when available, one-time state <br />funding. Other items such as permit fees make up a very small portion of the budget. Cass County also <br />continually pursues grant funding opportunities as they become available. <br />Influencing the cost of construction is the significant rise in the ND Construction Cost Index. From 2005 to 2023, <br />ND’s overall Construction Cost Index increased annually by an average of 7%. We are still feeling the economic <br />challenges of the COVID pandemic and price increases in construction materials and other construction costs. <br />Rebuilding just one mile of road can cost up to $1.75 million. Considering this reality, it is important to maintain <br />a road maintenance policy to reduce the need for reconstruction. <br />While Construction Costs have increased annually by an average of 7% since 2005, Cass County’s Highway <br />Distribution Tax Funding (without One Time Funding) has only increased 3%. North Dakota has a state tax that <br />currently collects 23 cents per gallon of gasoline. This tax was last increased in 2005.