4 Percent of Texas Bridges Meet Federal Funding Category

AUSTIN - After careful review of state and federal regulations governing the release of infrastructure data, the Texas Department of Transportation released a list of the state’s 2,024 structurally deficient bridges [pdf, 92 pages, 3.8mb] today. TxDOT’s decision was reached after examining rules that strictly limit the release of bridge information collected for federal reports and additional homeland security constraints on the publication of data regarding the state’s critical infrastructure.

TxDOT’s records indicate that 4 percent of the state’s bridges are listed as structurally deficient. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that in 2006, 12 percent of the nation’s bridges were identified as structurally deficient. TxDOT’s aggressive program to inspect all 50,000 of the state’s bridges and rehabilitate and replace bridges that require improvement is producing results. In 2002, Texas was home to 2,928 structurally deficient bridges. The current figure is a 31 percent reduction in structurally deficient bridges.

The term “structurally deficient” is a technical term that has recently been used in news accounts and public discussions to describe a bridge that is unsafe or presents an imminent danger to the driving public. It is a term used by the Federal Highway Administration to classify and prioritize bridges for federal funding. Structurally deficient bridges receive priority for limited rehabilitation on replacement funds from the federal government. Bridges that are unsafe or present an imminent public danger are closed to traffic.

Of the state’s bridges classified as “structurally deficient,” 445 are on the state highway system and 1,579 are off-system structures. 282 bridges classified as structurally deficient are currently under contract to be rehabilitated or replaced. Another 1,303 bridges classified as structurally deficient are under development as part of the state’s Unified Transportation Plan. The state’s remaining 439 bridges classified as structurally deficient are not currently scheduled for rehabilitation or replacement, and no funding has been identified for them.

Improving safety is TxDOT’s most important goal and is a sacred obligation to the state’s driving public. TxDOT will continue to monitor the state’s bridges through its aggressive bridge inspection program. In addition to enhancing safety, TxDOT is committed to reducing congestion and expanding economic opportunity, improving air quality and increasing the value of the state’s transportation assets.

The challenge for Texas is that as the state’s transportation system ages, demand is increasing. TxDOT is committed to maintaining the safety of the state’s roads and bridges, but as the department has said before, it will not be easy.

Recognizing this goal, TxDOT staff reported in June that more than $6 billion would need to be transferred from new construction to routine maintenance to ensure the safety and quality of the state’s highway system over the next five years.

The situation points to the need for balancing two important goals: maintaining the existing highway system and reducing traffic congestion. Finding just the right balance is tough. Texans deserve both a well-maintained highway system and the ability to get where they want to go in a timely manner.

The list of the state’s structurally deficient bridges is available on the department’s website: www.txdot.gov.

The Texas Department of Transportation

The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining nearly 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail and public transportation across the state. TxDOT and its 15,000 employees strive to empower local leaders to solve local transportation problems, and to use new financial tools, including tolling and public-private partnerships, to reduce congestion and pave the way for future economic growth while enhancing safety, improving air quality and increasing the value of the state’s transportation assets. Find out more at www.txdot.gov.