WASHINGTON 鈥� Virginia is in聽worse shape than Maryland and D.C. when it comes to the number of bridges considered “structurally deficient,鈥� according to the latest federal data聽analyzed by the .
The term “structurally deficient” doesn’t suggest the bridges are imminently unsafe, but one or more聽important parts of the bridge are in what is considered poor or worse condition 鈥斅燼reas such as聽the聽bridge deck or columns or foundation.
In the U.S., there are more than聽61,000 bridges that are structurally deficient,聽ARTBA found.
The “structurally deficient” bridges in D.C. metro area include:
- Virginia: 1,120 bridges (8.1 percent of total bridges in commonwealth) 鈥� ranks聽21st worst in the nation
- Maryland: 317 bridges (6 percent of total bridges in state) 鈥� 41st worst in the nation
- District of Columbia: 14 bridges (5.5 percent of bridges in District) 鈥� 51st worst in nation
“State and local governments are doing the best they can to address these significant challenges, given limited resources,” said Alison Black, ARTBA’s chief economist, to .
“Without additional investment from all levels of government, our infrastructure spending will be a zero-sum game.”
There are area bridges considered “functionally obsolete,”聽in that they don’t聽meet design standards that are in line with current practice.
- 痴颈谤驳颈苍颈补:听18听辫别谤肠别苍迟.
- Maryland:聽21 percent
- District of Columbia: 65 percent
Even given limited resources and deferred projects, area Departments of Transportation are making improvements.
The聽16th Street Bridge over Military Road聽is noted in聽the study as among聽the and is currently being聽replaced.
Maryland has ramped up emergency maintenance on dozens of state bridges聽after the recent incident of a chunk of concrete falling off an I-95 overpass onto a car聽below on Suitland Road. The Suitland Road overpasses on 95 north and south are noted in the study as being among
In Virginia,聽work on includes the construction of聽new bridges with higher elevation聽over Accotink Creek聽than the current flood-prone bridges.
Still, state聽money is tight, necessary bridge maintenance is being deferred nationwide聽and聽federal help is聽in question unless聽Congress passes a funding package before appropriations run out聽in May.
If Congress does not pass a funding package, The Highway Trust Fund won鈥檛 meet commitments .
The National Association of State Budget Officers is among interested parties encouraging lawmakers to pass a proposal that would provide five years of funding.
The ARTBA study is based on data is from the 2014 National Bridge Inventory, released in January 2015 by the Federal Highway Administration.
