Bridge Managers Optimistic About Improving Bridge Conditions
DES PLAINES, Ill., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the first time
since 2005, highway engineers are optimistic about reducing the number of
structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges. The information
comes from an annual survey of highway professionals in 50 state
Departments of Transportation and the District of Columbia conducted by
Better Roads magazine and sponsored by Contech Bridge Solutions, Inc. The
study, which provides the most current data available on bridge conditions,
shows that increased funding, initiated after the I-35 bridge collapse in
Minnesota, is finally working its way into the system. More than 60 percent
of respondents felt that they would be able to reduce the number of
functionally obsolete and structurally deficient bridges in the next year,
compared to just 40 percent in 2007.
Based on this response, bridge conditions should improve in the coming
year. "The lagtime is caused by major projects that can take from five to
seven years to complete," says Kirk Landers, editorial director for Better
Roads. Across the nation, an additional 602 bridges were added to the list
of nearly 145,000 structurally deficient/functionally obsolete bridges in
2008.
Despite their optimism, funding remains the most critical concern for
highway managers. "Increases for bridge construction are coming at the
expense of pavement construction and maintenance," Landers warns.
"Compounding the problem, people are also driving less, reducing the gas
tax revenues that highway departments depend on to fund construction and
maintenance."
"Environmental restrictions are also driving up costs and delaying
projects," says Tina Grady Barbaccia, executive editor for Better Roads.
More than 72 percent of highway managers report that environmental
restrictions are causing problems. "Limitations on construction dates and
bureaucratic red tape can delay or even stop projects," Barbaccia says.
"We're seeing more and more counties and cities struggling with
increasingly tight budgets, says Tom Slabe, president of CONTECH Bridge &
Wall Solutions. "Speed of construction and cost effectiveness are key in
keeping the nation's transportation infrastructure sound and safe. Because
of these needs, we have seen a significant growth in the use of
prefabricated bridge systems."
The study provides further insight into the decaying bridge inventory
by breaking out structurally deficient bridges from those that are
functionally obsolete. Structurally deficient bridges are considered more
serious, since they have structural problems that require limiting weight
or more frequent inspections. Some must be closed. About 56 percent of the
substandard bridges fall into this category, compared to 44 percent, which
are functionally obsolete. Functionally obsolete bridges may be in good
condition, but don't meet the needs of current traffic. Responding agencies
use a standard sufficiency rating system developed by the Federal Highway
Administration, to rate each bridge. Federal law mandates that all bridges
must be inspected every two years.
The WorstFifty six percent of the bridges in the District of Columbia
are structurally deficient/functionally obsolete. Other states with the
worst bridge conditions include Rhode Island (53 percent); Kentucky (42
percent); Hawaii (39 percent); New York, West Virginia (37 percent);
Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut (36 percent); North Carolina, New
Hampshire (31 percent); Missouri, Louisiana, and Oklahoma (30 percent).
The BestStates with the lowest percentage of structurally
deficient/functionally obsolete bridges include: Arizona (10 percent);
Nevada (11 percent); Wyoming (12 percent); Minnesota (13 percent);
Colorado, Texas, Utah (14 percent); Wisconsin (15 percent); and New Mexico
(17 percent).
Most ImprovedOnly four states were able to reduce their deficient
bridge population by more than one percentage point over the past year:
Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and Utah (-2 percent).
The complete bridge inventory appears in the November 2008 issue of
Better Roads and at http://obr.gcnpublishing.com/articles/bridgeinv08.htm.
For a summary of bridge conditions in your state visit:
http://obr.gcnpublishing.com/articles/downloads/StateByStateSummary08.pdf.
Better Roads (http://www.betterroads.com) is the authoritative source
for information on the construction and maintenance of highways and
bridges, serving 38,000 highway and bridge professionals within government,
contracting, and engineering firms. Better Roads is published by
Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. Founded in 1934, Randall-Reilly Publishing
(http://www.rrpub.com) is the premier U.S. media and information company
focused on the trucking, construction and industrial markets.
Contech Bridge Solutions is the provider of modular, prefabricated
bridges for a variety of applications and capacities. More than 65,000
Contech bridges have been installed worldwide.
SOURCE Randall-Reilly Publishing
Bridge Managers Optimistic About Improving Bridge Conditions
Submitted by tim
on