TENS OF THOUSANDS OF U.S. BRIDGES IN SERIOUS NEED OF REPAIR A recent analysis of the federal National Bridge Inventory conducted by the Associated Press (AP) Investigative Team has revealed that more than 85,000 of the nation’s bridges are in dire need of repair and replacement. The review is extensive, finding that out of the 607,380 bridges listed, 65,605 are classified as “structurally deficient” and 20,808 are listed as “fracture critical.” Of these bridges, 7,795 fall into both categories, indicating a dangerous level of disrepair and a risk of collapse. Among the bridges that are deemed both deficient/critical are the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge into Washington, D.C., the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, the Route 495 Lincoln Tunnel Helix in New Jersey and the Main Avenue Bridge in Cleveland. The deficient/critical bridges carry more than 29 million vehicles per day, most are over 60 years old and have exceeded their original projected life expectancies. The northeastern states face more challenges than the rest of the country because of an older infrastructure and more severe weather conditions. Transportation for America has an excellent interactive map of bridges located in all 50 states and provides a condition report for each one.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:10:08 +0000
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