CONCORD - An industry group will release a report today that says one third of the 4,500 miles of roadway maintained by the state are in poor condition.

The Road Information Project (TRIP) will release a report at a Concord news conference that says there are "significant pavement deficiencies" on major state highways.

TRIP is an industry association of road and bridge builders and materials suppliers. New Hampshire is the fifth state to come under the group's scrutiny in the past five weeks.

The report also says the number of bridges with structural problems continues to grow.

"Over the next four years, at the state's current level of funding, the number will increase," said Frank Moretti, TRIP's director of policy and research. "The state is behind and will fall further behind."

The group says New Hampshire has a backlog of deteriorating highways that is expanding every year. While it recommends spending more money on repairing roads and bridges, the group does not make recommendations to states on how to pay for it.

billsmith@unionleader.com