VINTON (WSLS 10) - A new study found Virginia ranks in the bottom third of states when it comes to rural road conditions.
The transportation research group TRIP found 19 percent of Virginia rural roads are in poor condition, ranking 17th in the nation. It's a problem the Commonwealth is already working to fix.
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"The report on Virginia rural roads is not a surprise," said Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke). "We've known this."
Edwards helped pass the historic transportation bill in the General Assembly in 2013. It changed the way money is distributed to local governments and VDOT for road projects, providing extra funding.
Edwards said it's helped get much needed projects off the ground, but the next step will be up to Congress.
"There is a limit to what we can do alone, we need the federal partnership," he said. "We've done the best we can. You can see all of the construction going on highways here in Virginia because of the transportation package."
Homeowners like Landon Gregory hopes to see some of that help in the near future.
He lives on Blandfield Drive in Vinton, which has only seen a minor road repair in 20 years.
"I would love to see it," Gregory said. "I'm kind of expecting it because it has been a while since they've done anything to (the road)."
But before many of these rural roads can be fixed, a compromise will be needed in Congress.
Legislators are preparing to pass a temporary extension for federal transportation funds. Organizations like AAA say Congress needs to raise the federal gas tax, which hasn't changed in 20 years.
A raise in the gas tax would provide communities with more money for road improvement projects, and likely improve Virginia's low rating for it's rural roads.