25th July, 2008
State-by-state update on bridge conditions
(USA Today) -- After the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis plunged into the
Mississippi River last Aug. 1, transportation departments across the USA scrambled to
inspect bridges of a similar design in their own states. On the recommendation of the
Federal Highway Administration, they inspected similar deck truss bridges and steel
gusset plates used to connect girders.
As a result, 16 states closed bridges, lowered weight limits or made immediate repairs.
The collapse raised questions about funding for repairs on the 12% of the nation's
600,000 bridges rated structurally deficient.
Correspondents spoke with state Department of Transportation (DOT) officials to learn
what was done in the aftermath of the Minnesota tragedy and how bridge work is being
funded. Summaries appear below with the percentage of bridges in each state
considered structurally deficient. Information available from the states varied. In cases
where states could not provide updated figures, the data came from the Federal
Highway Administration's Feb. 17 report, which tracks bridges longer than 20 feet.
Alabama - After the collapse in Minneapolis, Alabama's three deck truss bridges, as well
as other bridges, were inspected and deemed safe, state DOT spokesman Tony Harris
said.
Alaska - The state Department of Transportation plans rehabilitation projects on about
17 bridges and is proposing repairs to bridges in Juneau, Sitka and Eagle River, said
Roger Wetherell, chief communications officer for the state DOT.
Arizona - The Arizona DOT conducted an analysis of records, focusing on 800 heavily
traveled bridges in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. Three bridges needed urgent
repairs, DOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said. The department will gradually increase
bridge maintenance and repairs from $19 million this year to $23 million in 2012.
Arkansas - The Highway and Transportation Department inspected all 11 of the state's
deck truss bridges after the collapse, but no repairs were needed, public affairs officer
Randy Ort said. More thorough inspections are underway now that gusset plates are
suspect, he said. The project, which includes load analysis on each bridge, is expected
to take two years.
California - The California DOT inspected 60 bridges, said Pete Whitfield, the chief of
bridge investigations for the northern part of the state. Some bridges showed signs of
wear and fatigue, but none was closed or considered unsafe, he said.
Colorado - The cost to replace or rehabilitate 125 state bridges rated in poor condition is
$1.4 billion, DOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said. The department has the same
number of bridges in poor condition as it did in 1996. Bridge repair funding dropped from
$32 million in 2007 to $18 million in 2009.
Connecticut - The Connecticut DOT inspected 10 deck truss bridges after the collapse
but didn't identify any in need of repairs, DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick said.
Delaware - The Delaware DOT reviewed inspection reports for bridges high on its
priority list. None was identified for repairs after the bridge collapse in Minnesota,
spokesman Darrel Cole said. The bridge management and preservation budget
remained the same in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 at $40 million.
D.C. - In 2007, the Washington, D.C., DOT repaired 22 bridges at a total cost of $8.5
million, spokeswoman Karyn LeBlanc said. The district does not have any truss bridges.
Florida - Shortly after the disaster, Florida's five major bridges using the truss design
were inspected. No problems were found, said Dick Kane, a spokesman for the DOT.
Money for bridge repairs is increasing this year to $410 million, up from $258 million last
year, he said.
Georgia - The Georgia DOT inspected two steel truss bridges, but no problems were
found, spokeswoman Crystal Paulk-Buchanan said. The state spent $17.7 million on
bridge repair and maintenance last year. In March, the Mitchell Street Bridge in Atlanta
was closed after inspectors observed vehicles over the maximum weight of 3 tons, she
said.
Hawaii - In December, inspections were overdue on 400 bridges in Hawaii. DOT
spokeswoman Tammy Mori said those inspections have since been completed, but she
did not provide any further information.
Idaho - The Idaho Transportation Department reinspected six bridges similar in design
to the one that collapsed but found nothing unusual, spokeswoman Mollie McCarty said.
During fiscal year 2007, the state worked on 66 bridge projects ranging from simple
repairs to complete replacement, DOT spokesman Jeff Stratten said. Total cost: $41
million.
Illinois - The Illinois DOT contracted $312 million for 339 bridges in fiscal year 2008,
compared with $287 million for 266 bridges in 2007, spokeswoman Marisa Kollias said.
The funds included costs for new bridges, replacements, rehabilitation and minor
structural repairs.
Indiana - Within days of the Minnesota tragedy, Indiana DOT engineers conducted
visual inspections of the nine similar bridges under the state's jurisdiction, spokesman
Andy Dietrick said. Inspectors found drainage problems on one of the bridges and
imposed an 8-ton weight limit on it. The state awarded a $385,000 contract for more indepth inspections of the nine bridges. No further problems were found, he said.
Iowa - State engineers in Iowa inspected three bridges after the Minneapolis collapse
but found that no repairs were needed, DOT spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher said. The
three bridges were the only ones in urgent need of inspection, based on a state review
of 24,800 bridges.
Kansas - The Kansas DOT inspected six bridges of similar design to the Minneapolis
bridge, leading to $3.7 million in repairs to two bridges, spokesman Stan Whitley said. A
state review found local governments were three to six months late on inspections for
their bridges. State and local officials are looking for ways to improve the inspection and
condition of local bridges, Whitley said.
Kentucky - The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reviewed the designs of nine truss
bridges, spokeswoman Miranda Thacker said. No problems were found. Funding
designated for bridge repairs remained the same from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal 2009 at
$20 million, she said.
Louisiana - Louisiana's spending on bridges will increase by $13 million from $159
million last year to $172 million this year, said Mark Lambert, DOT communications
director. In June, the department banned heavy vehicles from crossing the Grand Ecore
Bridge over the Red River in Natchitoches Parish because of deteriorating concrete on
the 49-year-old bridge.
Maine - Maine's DOT assembled a team of engineers, who developed 25
recommendations and a watch list of 386 bridges that would need to be closed or
weight-restricted if they were not repaired or replaced in 10 years, said Mark Latti, DOT
spokesman. The Legislature passed a bill to issue $160 million in bonds for bridge
funding over the next four years, he said.
Maryland - Maryland will fix 32 of the 129 bridges in need of repair this year at a cost of
$85 million, an annual amount that will grow to $100 million by 2011, said David Buck,
spokesman for the State Highway Administration. Immediately following the Minnesota
collapse, the state inspected six bridges with a similar design, but no problems were
found, he said.
Massachusetts - A $3 billion, eight-year accelerated bridge repair bill is making its way
through the Massachusetts Legislature, said Klark Jessen, communications director for
the DOT. The bill, which has passed the House and is pending approval in the Senate,
would pay to repair more than 250 bridges sooner than they otherwise would have been,
Jessen said.
Michigan - State inspections of four truss bridges, one of which is structurally deficient,
found no problems, said Bill Shreck, Michigan DOT spokesman. "Right now our bridges
are in good shape, and we're comfortable, he said.
Minnesota - The DOT inspected all 13,000 bridges in the state, focusing on 25 that
have a similar design to the one that fell, said Tom Sorrel, transportation commissioner.
The state closed three bridges after inspections found extensive deterioration. The
Legislature approved a 5-cents-a-gallon increase in the gas tax over 10 years and a 3cents surcharge to pay for a $6.6 billion bond to finance road and bridge improvements.
Of that, $600 million will be spent on bridge repair.
Mississippi - After the Minnesota bridge collapse, the Mississippi DOT reinspected
dozens of bridges by reviewing reports and conducting visual inspections, said Harry
Lee James, chief engineer. The Legislature increased the $160 million budget for bridge
work by $20 million this year to cover higher fuel costs.
Missouri - The Legislature passed a measure to speed up repairs for 800 of the state's
oldest and most worn bridges, said Jeff Briggs, DOT spokesman. Repairs on the
bridges, which have not yet begun, are expected to be completed by 2013 at a total cost
of up to $800 million, including the cost of 25-year maintenance, Briggs said.
Montana - The Montana DOT inspected each of the state's 11 deck truss bridges,
director Jim Lynch said. Inspectors also looked at gusset plates but found no defects.
They found missing "maximum load signs at 54 of the state's 450 bridges. The state
spends $1.5 million annually on bridge inspections and $30 million on bridge repairs, he
said.
Nebraska - The Nebraska Department of Roads moved up inspections for some truss
bridges, said Mary Jo Oie, communication division manager. The first round of
inspections is complete. The state is determining the load capacity of each bridge and
expects to finish before Jan. 1.
Nevada - The only bridge in Nevada similar to the one that collapsed in Minneapolis was
inspected and found to be in good condition, said Mark Elicegui, chief bridge engineer.
Funding remains an issue with an estimated $134 million in backlogged bridge work in
2007, a number expected to rise to nearly $139 million in 2008, he said. The state
receives an average of $10.4 million in federal funds for bridge work every year, and the
state adds $3 million a year for maintenance, he said.
New Hampshire - Inspections of four deck truss bridges after the collapse didn't identify
any needed repairs, said Mark Richardson, administrator of the New Hampshire DOT
bridge design bureau. The department increased the number of rehabilitation and
replacement projects to include more than 80 bridges with structural problems, he said.
New Jersey - After the Minnesota collapse, Kris Kolluri, commissioner of the New
Jersey DOT, said he determined it would take $13.6 billion over 10 years to fix the 2,197
bridges in the state considered deficient or obsolete. The state plans to spend $605
million this year on bridge repair, an increase of $96 million from $509 million last year,
Kolluri said.
New Mexico - The state spent $11 million on maintenance and repair projects in fiscal
year 2007, said S.U. Mahesh, spokesman for the New Mexico DOT. Inspections ordered
after the collapse by Gov. Bill Richardson on all six of the state's truss bridges revealed
nothing out of the ordinary, Mahesh said.
New York - Gov. Eliot Spitzer created a task force to look at the state's deck truss
bridges, state DOT spokesman Charles Carrier said. The task force's report found the 49
deck truss bridges were safe for travel, although 39% had minor structural defects. The
department spent $697 million on bridge maintenance, construction and inspection last
year and is expected to spend $728 million this year.
North Carolina - North Carolina ordered additional inspections on fewer than 30
bridges, but inspectors found no serious hazards, said Don Idol, an assistant state
bridge inspection engineer. After reports that the Minneapolis bridge was carrying too
much weight from construction equipment when it collapsed, North Carolina instituted a
policy under which engineers calculate load capacity before work starts, he said. The
state plans to spend $289 million on bridge repair and maintenance this year, down $79
million from last year.
North Dakota - Following the Minnesota collapse, the North Dakota DOT reviewed its
bridge inspection process and conducted an interim inspection to ensure safety. The
inspection found one bridge, the Churchs Ferry Bridge on U.S. Highway 281, in need of
repair at a cost of $17,400, said Billie Jo Lorius, DOT spokeswoman.
Ohio - No problems were found during inspections of 16 bridges in Ohio that share a
similar design to the Minneapolis one, state DOT spokesman Scott Varner said. One of
the bridges, Cleveland's Innerbelt Bridge, will undergo more than $150 million in repairs
over the next four years.
Oklahoma - Oklahoma inspected four deck truss bridges, one of which required repairs.
The state examined 64 bridges, finding that repairs were needed on two, said David
Meuser, DOT spokesman. The Legislature passed a bill this year providing $30 million
more annually for rehabilitation and reconstruction of state highways and bridges, setting
a $370 million annual cap, he said. The preliminary budget for fiscal year 2009 is $288
million for bridge construction and repairs, but the amount could change, he added.
Oregon - Following the bridge collapse, Oregon did two sets of inspections on its
bridges — one overall inspection and one on gusset plates — and found minor problems
such as rust and fatigue cracks, but no imminent safety concerns, DOT spokesman
Dave Thompson said. Oregon spent $207 million on bridge repair last year and plans to
spend $226 million this year.
Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania inspected 54 deck truss bridges after the collapse and
found no problems, said Rich Kirkpatrick, a DOT spokesman. The state has had four
bridge incidents in the past year, including a minor collapse in Pittsburgh and the closing
of part of I-95 in Philadelphia where a crack was found in a support column.
Rhode Island - Rhode Island spent $65 million on bridge repairs and rehabilitation in
fiscal year 2008, an increase from the $55 million spent in 2007, said Charles St. Martin
III, DOT spokesman. After the collapse, the department inspected 24 bridges that use
the truss design and found no critical problems, he said.
South Carolina - The DOT Commission approved funding in June for high-tech sensors
to take measurements of a bridge that engineers can track on the Internet in real time,
said Lee Floyd, the state's chief bridge inspection engineer. The Legislature considered
a plan to divert $100 million in driver's license fees to DOT over five years for
maintenance, but the plan failed because of a projected budget gap of $240 million over
two years.
South Dakota - One bridge was identified for repairs after the Minnesota collapse, said
Darin Bergquist, South Dakota's secretary of transportation. The department is set to
spend $20.5 million during fiscal year 2008 on bridge repair and rehabilitation, an
increase from the $12.2 million spent during 2007, Bergquist said.
Tennessee - Funding in Tennessee decreased by nearly $14 million during fiscal year
2008 from $130 million during the previous fiscal year to $116.6 million, said Julie Oaks,
DOT spokeswoman. No significant problems were uncovered after the state inspected
five bridges similar in design to the one that collapsed. The department has spent $32
million on 62 bridge repairs since August 2007, she said.
Texas - Since the bridge collapse, the Texas DOT has spent $334 million to replace,
rehabilitate or perform major maintenance on 463 bridges, spokesman Mark Cross said.
Texas received $32.36 million out of $1 billion Congress gave states last year for bridge
work. That will speed up repairs and replacements for bridges by up to three years, he
said.
Utah - Two bridges were identified as needing repairs after the bridge collapse in
Minnesota, said Chris Potter, bridge planning and studies engineer for the Utah DOT.
Both bridges required the replacement of deteriorated pins at a cost of $1.3 million,
Potter said.
Vermont - Vermont highway authorities examined eight bridges after the collapse, and
crews discovered no pressing problems, Transportation Agency spokesman John
Zicconi said. The examination this summer of a truss bridge over the Winooski River,
between Middlesex and Moretown, uncovered deteriorated support beams that rendered
the span unsafe. The bridge is closed and scheduled for replacement in 2010 at an
estimated cost of $750,000, he said.
Virginia - The Virginia DOT plans to spend $147 million during fiscal year 2008 on
bridge inspections and maintenance, an increase from $91.7 million spent in 2007, said
Jeff Caldwell, chief of communications. After the collapse, VDOT reviewed the most
recent inspection reports for the 11 deck truss bridges in the state and found nothing to
warrant remedial action. A subsequent in-depth inspection revealed three bridges
required minor maintenance, Caldwell said. In addition, VDOT reviewed inspection
reports for 301 other bridges, but no action was taken.
Washington - A Tacoma bridge on track to be closed was shut down quickly after the
Minnesota bridge collapse, said Melanie Coon, public information program manager at
the Transportation Department. After the collapse, the state went through inspection
reports and found nothing else requiring action, she said.
West Virginia - Nineteen bridges of the same type as the one that collapsed in
Minnesota were inspected, and no repairs were needed, said Susan Watkins,
communications director for the West Virginia DOT. This year, the department saw an
increase in funding by $20 million to $125 million for bridge rehabilitation, replacement
and inspection, up from $105 million in 2007, she said.
Wisconsin - After the Minnesota disaster, Wisconsin officials inspected 15 similarly
constructed truss bridges and installed sensors to monitor them for problems, but the
action didn't result in any repairs, said Beth Cannestra, director of the Bureau of
Structures at the Wisconsin DOT. The estimate for fiscal year 2008 bridge spending is
$220 million, she said.
Wyoming - After the tragedy, two bridges similar to the one that collapsed were
inspected, and nothing serious was found, said Gregg Fredrick, state bridge engineer.
The state is expected to spend $25 million on bridge replacement and rehabilitation
projects in fiscal year 2008, a $1 million decrease from 2007, he said.
Contributing to this report: Marty Roney,The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser; Joanne
Bratton, The Baxter Bulletin, Mountain Home, Ark.; Dennis Wagner, The Arizona
Republic, Phoenix; David Castellon, Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta; Trevor Hughes, Fort
Collins Coloradoan; Maureen Milford, The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.; Laura
Ruane, The News-Press, Fort Myers, Fla.; Dan Nakaso, The Honolulu Advertiser; Tim
Evans, The Indianapolis Star; Grant Schulte, The Des Moines Register; Jessie Halladay,
The Courier-Journal, Louisville; Alexandyr Kent, The Times, Shreveport, La.; Greg
Latshaw, The Daily Times, Salisbury, Md.; Ben Schmitt; Detroit Free Press; David Unze,
St. Cloud (Minn.) Times; Chris Joyner, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.; Dirk
VanderHart, Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader; Karl Puckett, Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune;
Jeff DeLong, Reno Gazette-Journal; Abbott Kolofff, Daily Record, Morris County, N.J.;
Matthew Daneman, Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle; Jordan Schrader,
Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times; Lori Kurtzman, The Cincinnati Enquirer; Tracy Loew,
Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore.; Ron Barnett, The Greenville (S.C.) News; Jeff Martin,
Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Michael Carey, The Tennessean, Nashville; Brian
Passey, The Spectrum, St. George, Utah; Adam Silverman, The Burlington (Vt.) Free
Press; Jennie Coughlin, The Daily News Leader, Staunton, Va.; Ben Jones, The PostCrescent, Appleton, Wis.; Rick Neale, Florida Today, Melbourne; Marisol Bello,
Katharine Lackey and Andrew Seaman.