Emily Richardson150 of Arizona鈥檚 8,294 bridges are structurally deficient, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).
Out of all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., Arizona ranked 50th for percentage of bridges that need repairs, with almost 2 percent of the state鈥檚 bridges having one or more key elements in 鈥減oor or worse鈥� condition.
鈥淭he new [structurally deficient] definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements鈥攖he deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts鈥攁re rated in poor or worse condition,鈥� John Schneidawind, ARTBA vice president of public affairs, said. 鈥淚n Arizona this [number] is down from 223 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2014.鈥�
According to Schneidawind, while the number of structurally deficient bridges in Arizona is down, so is the number of bridge repairs across the country.
鈥淭o us, the most alarming finding was that the pace of repair of the nation鈥檚 bridges has slowed to a five-year low with only a one percent net reduction of structurally deficit structures,鈥� he said.
This aligns with the National Association of Manufacturers鈥� (NAM) position that U.S. infrastructure is failing and in major need of repair.
鈥淓very year, America is falling further behind on infrastructure. Today, infrastructure investment is only one-third of what it was in 1960 and without action鈥e will lose 5.8 million jobs by 2040,鈥� NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said.
Timmons and NAM recently released a new 鈥�鈥� proposal to revitalize the country鈥檚 infrastructure.
鈥淭he nation鈥檚 roads and bridges are clogged with traffic, and in many cases, they are in serious disrepair,鈥� the report. 鈥淢ore than 54,000 bridges across the United States are rated 鈥榮tructurally deficient,鈥� meaning they are in need of significant maintenance and repair. U.S. drivers and passengers cross these structurally deficient bridges nearly 178 million times a day.鈥�
In Arizona, eight of the ten most traveled structurally deficient bridges are located in Pima County and 19 of the 150 structurally deficient bridges across the state are located on an Interstate and endure more than 455,000 daily crossings, according to ARTBA.
ARTBA estimates that Arizona needs to spend $1.4 million on bridge repairs including replacements, widenings and deck rehabilitation.
鈥�The biggest thing that would help states improve their infrastructure is for Congress to fix the depleted Highway Trust Fund, which is funded by a federally-imposed gas tax that has not increased since 1993. Its purchasing power has been eroded by inflation, greater car fuel efficiency, and the influx of electric vehicles. Raising the would be a start,鈥� Schneidawind said.
To view the entire Arizona report, click.
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