There are 54,259 structurally deficient bridges in the United States, which are crossed 175 million times daily, according to U.S. Department of Transportation analysis.
The rate at which bridges are being replaced has slowed. At the current pace, it will take 37 years to replace all the bridges, according to Alison Premo Black, chief economist for the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
An ARTBA report found Iowa has the most structurally deficient bridges at 5,067. New York was 10th worst.
“There is no question that America’s infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and addressing our broken roads, bridges and water systems has the added benefit of rebuilding communities, encouraging private sector investment and putting Americans to work,” Rep. Brian Higgins Higgins (D-NY) said. “There should be no hesitation; the time for Congress to act is well overdue.”
Only $41 billion in annual funding for highways was included in the most recent federal transportation bill. Higgins calls his figure a national disgrace.
Higgins’ proposed bill, the Nation Building Here At Home Act, would provide $1.263 trillion over the next five years for infrastructure projects.
President Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion infrastructure plan is expected to be supported by $200 billion in federal funds. The remainder would fall on state and local governments and the private sector.