As Minnesota's potholes are ranked worst in the nation, lawmakers allow St. Paul to put pothole tax to voters
MINNEAPOLIS -- Most Minnesota drivers could tell you the state's potholes are the worst in the nation, but now there's data to back up that assertion.
According to QuoteWizard, Minnesota ranks No. 1 in the nation for pothole problems. QuoteWizard compiled the rankings by analyzing Google search statistics from this year.
"We found that Minnesota has more searches for pothole-related complaints than any other state," QuoteWizard said.
READ MORE: MnROAD's quest to make Minnesota roads pothole proof
Individual cities were also ranked, and two Minnesota cities landed in the top 10. Minneapolis ranked second behind Los Angeles, while Duluth came in at No. 7.
Per a AAA survey, pothole-related repairs cost drivers $406 on average.
The state legislature will allow St. Paul to put a 1% sales tax on the ballot in November, letting voters decide. The city says this money would be used to remake the streets.
"It'd be an increase of a penny on every dollar that they spend on sales tax-eligible items in St. Paul," said Sean Kershaw, St. Paul's director of public works. "The streets that people have been most frustrated [with] this winter...are streets that we would work on, and completely rebuild with the sales tax funds."
Kershaw says roads should be replaced every 60 to 70 years, but St. Paul has some that are more than a century old.
Mayor Melvin Carter and the city council will have the final say about whether to put the proposal on the ballot this year.