PA DOT LEADS THE WAY IN BRIDGE REPLACEMENTS

Nearly 10% of the country’s bridges (58,495 out of 609,539) were considered structurally deficient last year and in need of repairs, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.
Pa.’s bridges according to the ARTBA are 3rd most structurally deficient in US.
While the term “structurally deficient” does describe the condition of a bridge, it doesn’t mean that the bridge is unsafe to use – yet.
“If we don’t think a bridge is safe, we close it. If there’s a question about a bridge, we close it,” said Greg Penny, a spokesman for PennDOT.
They are doing something about it, leading the way with 24 new bids out this month for bridge replacements and averaging at least that many each month. This is only the tip of the iceberg nationally, which will help to keep the demolition business humming for decades.
According to PennDOT data, between 2008 and the end of 2016, the number of structurally deficient bridges in Pennsylvania dropped 42 percent after the department shifted more resources to bridge repairs and replacement. “The situation is not being ignored. It’s been an enormous challenge that we’ve been working at for more than a decade now, and we’ve made significant progress, but there’s a long way to go. Federal aid for highways has been barely keeping up with the pace of inflation for years, leaving little room for help with Pennsylvania’s bridge problem. President Trump regularly promised increased transportation funding as a part of his campaign. But recent reports like one published Thursday by The Hill indicate a transportation funding overhaul is unlikely to make Congress’ legislative agenda until 2018″
Most copy from “The Hill”