Upzoned Want To Use This Rural Road? That’ll Be $50K
Jul 30, 2025
In this lively conversation, Edward Erfurt, Chief Technical Advisor at Strong Towns, discusses the hefty $50,000 fee a milk facility faces for road use in Lincoln County, South Dakota. He and Abby Newsham explore the delicate balance between infrastructure costs and rural municipal budgets. They dive into the complexities of zoning laws and the need for better collaboration between businesses and communities. Edward also advocates for improved funding strategies to ensure sustainable road management while enhancing community engagement in the development process.
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Rural Industrial Impact on Roads
- Industrial uses in rural areas can impose significant wear on underfunded local roads.
- Current zoning and impact fees often fail to adequately address these hidden infrastructure costs.
Impact Fees Often Insufficient
- Impact fees like $50,000 yearly from one user rarely cover long-term road maintenance costs.
- Funding strategies must consider cumulative growth and sustainable infrastructure funding.
Lack of Road Cost Understanding
- Communities often lack accurate data on true road maintenance costs.
- Maintenance budgets are managed with approximate figures rather than precise cost analysis.
