The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials released "Bridging the Gap: Restoring and Rebuilding the Nation's Bridges," a new report that outlines the critical challenges ahead in repairing and restoring bridges in America.


Among the report's key findings:

• Age - Usually built to last 50 years, the average bridge in this country today is 43; almost 20 percent of these "Baby Boomer" bridges are over 50 years old. As age and traffic increase, so does the need for repair.

• The Price Tag - According to new data from the Federal Highway Administration, the cost to repair or modernize the country's bridges is at least $140 billion; assuming all the bridges were fixed immediately.

• Traffic Congestion - Many of the nation's large-scale bridges have become chokepoints on the country's freeway system and a drain on the nation's economy. The top 10 highway interchange bottlenecks cause an average of 1.5 million truck hours of delay each year.

• Soaring Construction Costs -The costs of steel, asphalt, concrete and earthwork have risen by at least 50 percent in the past five years, forcing delays of bridge improvements and replacements. Nearly every state faces funding shortages that prevent them from the kind of on-going preventive maintenance, repair and replacement needed to keep their bridges sound indefinitely.

"This generation of baby boomer bridges is in need of significant repair or replacement. New technology can help us build bridges that are stronger and longer-lasting," said Pete Rahn, AASHTO president and director of the Missouri Department of Transportation. "Yet we are not seeing the kind of national attention or investment we need to address these issues."

Bridging the Gap also points to several solutions such as increased investment in transportation at all levels of government, support for a wide range of revenue options, continued commitment to research and innovation, systematic maintenance, and increased public awareness.

More info: www.transportation.org