Some grim statistics released Tuesday by a national transportation research group have prompted lawmakers to talk about new funding for future road projects.

According to the report from TRIP, a Washington D.C. nonprofit research group, Nevada’s traffic fatality rate is higher than the national average. The study also ranks 13 percent of the state’s roads in poor or fair condition. The report also states that the average Reno motorist pays $972 annually because of extra vehicle operating costs, lost fuel due to congestion and poor road conditions.

“We do need to look at a funding mechanism,” said state Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, at the Tuesday press conference where the report was released.

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, a Sparks resident and Pyramid Highway commuter, agreed.

“Those of us who drive in this city know that this report is accurate,” Smith said. “Just like everything else, we know that if we don’t pay now we will pay later.”

The report covered a range of topics from road congestion and population growth estimates to wear and tear on area roads.

Some improvements that the nonprofit identified included expanding portions of U.S. Highway 395 in Reno to six lanes, widening portions of Highway 395 in Carson City to six lanes and expanding portions of Interstate 515/US-95 and Interstate 15 in Las Vegas to 10 lanes.

The report also painted a grim picture of the status of Nevada’s road infrastructure.

The report said 12 percent of the bridges in Nevada show “significant” deterioration and do not meet current design standards. In 2008, nearly 3 percent of Nevada’s bridges were deficient, according to the study.

The report gathered its information from the Nevada Department of Transportation as well as federal sources such as the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“We do have some shortages and we are trying to be creative with funding so we can put the projects out on the streets,” said Susan Martinovich, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Local leaders agreed with the state leader’s assessment.

“Congestion on our streets and highways have far outstripped our ability to address these concerns,” said Robert Russell, engineering manager for the Regional Transportation Commission. “I am particularly concerned about the situation in northern Nevada.”

TRIP’s report also lamented the Oct. 31 expiration of a federal surface transportation program, which has pumped $2.77 billion in federal funding into Nevada road improvements since 1998. The program has also given $520 million to statewide public transit since 1998.

The report pushed for the renewal of this funding. With the current federal transportation program set to expire, Congress has an opportunity to approve a new federal surface transportation program, according to TRIP officials.

“Nevada has benefited tremendously from the federal surface transportation program,” said Will Wilkins, executive director of TRIP. “While the state has put this combination of federal and state funds to good use in the past, in the coming years, many additional needed projects will remain stranded on the drawing board because of insufficient funding.

“It is critical that the state adequately fund its transportation system and that Congress produces a timely and adequately funded federal surface transportation program this year. Thousands of jobs and the state’s economy are riding on it,” he said.

The report further states that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides about $201 million in stimulus funding for highway and bridge improvements and $49 million for public transit improvements in Nevada.

“This funding, however, serves only as a down payment on needed road, highway, bridge and transit improvements and is not sufficient to allow the state to proceed with numerous projects needed to modernize its surface transportation system,” the report stated, referring to the stimulus funds.