From CNN:
Nearly a quarter of the nation’s roughly 600,000 major bridges carry more traffic than they were designed to bear, according to reports based on federal government data.
Federal Highway Administration data from 2006 shows that 24.5 percent of the nation’s bridges longer than 20 feet were categorized as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete.”
Some states are worse than others. Arizona and Rhode Island have a similar number of structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges — 384 and 405 respectively. In Arizona, however, that’s 5 percent of its total bridges, while in Rhode Island, it’s more than half. See how many problem bridges are in your state »
The Interstate 35W bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River during Wednesday rush hour was deemed structurally deficient two years ago.
Additionally, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday called for the authorization of $250 million in emergency spending for the Interstate 35W bridge. States are usually limited to $100 million for such emergencies, which is why the legislation is needed.
advertisement“You can’t not deal with it. Bridges have to perform,” Dinges said.
“We’re seeing this as a wake-up call. It’s time to stop hitting the snooze button.”
It’s been obvious to me for years that America’s transportation infrastructure is taking far more than it can handle. That doesn’t mean I was predicting a disaster like this. But from 1982-2002, the U.S. population grew less than 20%percent while the time Americans spend in traffic jumped 236% — in other words, traffic becomes exponentially worse as the number of drivers increases. In 2001, the Texas Transportation Institute found that Americans spend three times as much time in traffic as they did 20 years ago. This numbers must have only become worse over the past six years.
There is more than enough money.. 1/2 trillion and counting to wage war, but this country cant spend money on infrastructure, health care, social security, etc. Our government is failing us right before our very eyes and yet we our corporaticians bury their head in the sand. I feel so sorry for my kids generation and my grandkids..
I lived in Rhode Island for 4 years, in Providence. The entire infrastructure of that state is in terrible condition. I had to ride to the hospital in an ambulance in 2002 and it was utter agony – literally we could not go for 2 or 3 seconds without hitting major potholes. It was so bad they were unable to get an IV into me because if they had tried, they’d have gotten thrown about by a pothole and jabbed me in the eye or something. I chalk it up to the corrupt mafia rule.
Both cities and government is discredited and obsolete; both should be abandoned by the producers of wealth. Leave them to useless.
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