Shepard Price, Digital reporter
According to a new report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, there are 167.5 million daily crossings on 43,578 structurally deficient bridges in poor condition across the United States.
gguy44/Getty Images/iStockphotoAccording to a new report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, there are 167.5 million daily crossings on 43,578 structurally deficient bridges in poor condition across the United States.
In Texas, there are 789 bridges classified as structurally deficient bridges. Overall, Texas ranked No. 21 in 2021, up from No. 22 in 2020, per ARTBA. The number of bridges increased from 632 in 2017. These figures include a total of 55,175 bridges in the state, just 1.4% of all Texas bridges, putting the Lone Star State at No. 50 in the U.S . rankings, which includes Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
Structurally deficient means one of the key elements of the bridge is in poor condition, according to Infrastructure Report Card, and while they are not inherently unsafe, they require substantial investment in the form of replacement or significant rehabilitation and present a higher risk for future closure or weight restrictions and also require increased monitoring.
Of the structurally deficient bridges in Texas, 44 are located on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 85.9% of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals, ARTBA found.
The state has identified needed repairs on 11,493 bridges at an estimated cost of $5.6 billion, ARTBA stated. This compares to 12,121 bridges in need of work in 2017.
The most traveled bridge in Midland County listed as structurally deficient is located on Loop 250 westbound over Midland Drive in Midland. The bridge was built in 1997 and sees 17,353 daily crossings, according to ARTBA data.
Of the 3,447 bridges in the counties of congressional district 11, 52 bridges, 1.5%, are classified as structurally deficient. That’s up from 36 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2017. Repairs are needed on 450 bridges in the district, ARTBA stated, which would cost an estimated $139.4 million, compared to 464 bridges in 2017.
The second-most traveled bridge in Midland County that was listed as structurally deficient was Scharbauer Drive westbound over Midland Draw. This bridge was built in 1970 and sees 4.950 daily crossings.