A new report includes the Brooklyn Bridge among thousands of “structurally deficient” bridges in the United States.
According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), more than 55,000 bridges in the U.S. are in “poor or worse condition.” The ARTBA says that the overall number of deficient bridges has declined in recent years, however, there are still tens of thousands more in need of replacement or repair.
The ARTBA also states that just because a bridge is deemed structurally deficient does not mean it’s in danger of collapse. Engineers evaluate bridges on several key elements, including the deck, the super structure, and the substructure on a scale of zero to nine, with nine being excellent. If at least one element is rated below a four, the bridge is considered structurally deficient.
The report also states that the top 14 most-traveled structurally deficient bridges in the country are located in California. Across the country, the 55,000 bridges considered structurally deficient are crossed around 185 million times daily.
Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge and is one of the oldest of either type in the country. It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1964 and is crossed over 134,000 times a day. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of about 1,900 bridges in New York State on the ARTBA list of structurally deficient bridges.
Key Points from the ARTBA Report
Several of the stats included in the ARTBA report highlight just how serious the country’s aging bridge problem has become.
- 1,900 of the structurally deficient bridges are located on the Interstate Highway System.
- 41% of the bridges in the country are over 40 years old and have never had any major reconstruction work performed.
- Placed end to end, the total number of structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. would stretch 1,276 miles.
- The largest number of structurally deficient bridges are located in Iowa, which has 4,968 bridges in need of repair or replacement. At 31, Nevada has the fewest.
NYC Mass Transit Accident Lawyer Discusses Bridge Collapses
New York City mass transit accident lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter states, “The 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35 Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis shocked the nation. The bridge failure killed 13 people and injured 145 others. A bridge collapse of that magnitude was shocking for many reasons, including the fact that it happened in the most industrialized country in the world. It was also a wakeup call for the need to repair and replace the thousands of aging bridges in the United States.”
If you have been injured in a mass transit accident involving a bridge collapse or other infrastructure deficiency, it’s important to speak to a lawyer right away. These are complicated cases that typically involve multiple government agencies and numerous defendants. Speak to an experienced New York City mass transit accident lawyer about your case today.
Media Contact:
New York State based mass transit accident lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter. T: 866-324-9211.
