More than 42,000 bridges across the U.S. have been classified as being in “poor” condition. Iowa particularly stands out as hosting seven of the top 10 counties with the highest proportion of poor bridges: (By junemkim_)
A tanker truck carrying gasoline caught fire after a crash on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia on June 11, ultimately leading to the collapse of one of the highway’s bridges. The collapse caused significant disruptions for the approximately 160,000 drivers who travel along that stretch of road daily. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation expects the road to reopen by June 25.
According to the National Bridge Inspection Standards, states are required to regularly submit inspection reports on the conditions of their highway bridges. The Federal Highway Administration , under the Department of Transportation, maintains a comprehensive record of these inspections and categorizes conditions into three levels: “good,” “fair” and “poor.”
A bridge’s rating is determined by specific FHWA standards for the condition of its various structural components. A poor rating does not necessarily imply immediate safety risks for drivers, but it does indicate the need for close monitoring to prevent unforeseen dangers. At the time of the vehicle fire in Philadelphia, the I-95 bridge was reported to be in good condition.
Scott Neubauer, a bridge maintenance and inspection engineer at the Iowa Department of Transportation, explains that Iowa’s extensive number of bridges and low population mean that many of the state’s bridges see minimal traffic. “Some bridges only see 15 to 30 vehicles passing through in a day,” he says. With a high price tag for replacing and upgrading highways, Neubauer adds, it is difficult to prioritize the upkeep of low-traffic bridges over busier state highways.
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