Last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) repaired or replaced more than 200 bridges of at least 20 feet in length rated in poor condition, according to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data.
This resulted in 90 fewer bridges rated in poor condition – the largest improvement of any state. The bridges are owned by PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and others.
“Infrastructure is critical to our commonwealth’s progress, and our ability to complete major projects is key to spurring economic growth and creating real opportunity,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said. “Investing in and improving our infrastructure is a commonsense way to spur economic development, create jobs, and help Pennsylvanians reach their destinations safely and efficiently. These improvements will help our communities grow as we continue working together to move Pennsylvania forward.”
Pennsylvania had more than 6,000 state-owned bridges classified as in poor condition in 2008. Since then, PennDOT has repaired or replaced more than 3,000 bridges.
The agency has improved or replaced 303 state and locally owned bridges this year as well as more than 3,100 miles of roadway.
Pennsylvania’s 2024-25 bipartisan budget allocated $80.5 million in new funding to repair roads and bridges, and provided an additional $125 million for road and bridge projects annually over the next four years.
Last month, the governor announced more than $51 million in funding from the Multimodal Transportation Fund to support 66 crucial transportation projects across 32 counties in Pennsylvania. The funding will be allocated towards highway, bridge, aviation, ports, and bike and pedestrian initiatives. The Commonwealth is home to one of the largest state-maintained road and bridge networks in the nation.