Better Roads Magazine

Mondo Tmes editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 11:21pm on Sunday, November 8th, 2009

A large number of bridges in the United States remain sub-standard, but highway and bridge engineers are optimistic about reducing the number of these structurally deficient (SD) and functionally obsolete (FO) bridges.

The information comes from the annual survey of highway professionals in 50 state Departments of Transportation and the District of Columbia conducted by Better Roads magazine.

Fourteen percent of all interstate and state bridges are considered functionally obsolete, and 6.8 percent are rated as structurally deficient, with a combined SD/FO total of 20.7 percent, the Better Roads study finds. Of all the nation's city/county/township bridges, 10.7 percent are functionally obsolete, and 14.5 percent are structurally deficient, with a combined SD/FO total of 25.2 percent.

A total of 597,787 bridges were surveyed this year -- 383 more bridges surveyed than in 2008. Of the 597,404 bridges surveyed in 2008, 144,942 were combined SD/FO. This year, there were 141,898 combined SD/FO bridges -- 3,044 less than last year. However, although the number of deficient bridges may show that they have declined, some of the bridge engineers surveyed point out that this doesn't take the actual square footage of SD/FO bridges into account, and that may have increased.

Department of Transportation personnel surveyed say that the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) -- better known as the stimulus -- has enabled maintenance and reconstruction of some bridges that would otherwise not be possible, but the actual results range from having no effect or a minimal effect to a modest or significant impact.

John Latta, editor-in-chief of Better Roads, notes that this is deeply troubling. "Look no further for evidence that a disturbing number of America's bridges now need care, repair or replacement," Latta says. "This comprehensive survey makes it startlingly clear. Look at the responses of the state experts who are responsible for these bridges, and you become even more aware of just how much of a problem we face and must address urgently."