Few Bridges See Structural Improvement

August 2008

After the tragic rush-hour collapse of the eight-lane Mississippi River bridge last August, many politicians promised to improve the state of the nation's deteriorating bridges. But one year later, significant changes are yet to be seen.

Of the 1,020 problematic bridges analyzed by the Associated Press (AP), only a little more than one in 10 had their structural flaws repaired, whether through major rehabilitation or replacement. However, in each state, almost two out of every three hazardous bridges needing major work have not had any improvements other than routine maintenance. These bridges carry nearly 40 million cars every day.

Instead of fixing problems now, transportation officials are mostly planning for repairs in the future. While none of the bridges reviewed by the AP are at risk for immediate collapse, state engineers and highway officials recognize that the structures need improvement. The collapse of the Mississippi River bridge lead to the death of 13 people and injured over 100 more.