Q&A:

Describe the past 12 months for your department in terms of work and funding.

“Work needs have increased while funding has decreased.” –Eric J. Christie, assistant state maintenance engineer for bridges, Alabama Department of Transportation

“We have performed a significant amount of work on culverts that are too small to be included in the [Better Roads] National Bridge Inventory.”—Douglas E. Finney, bridge manager engineer, Delaware Department of Transportation

Q&A:

To what extent will insufficient funding restrict important work in the coming year?

“Federal funding uncertainties may result in withholding projects.” –Harvey L. Coffman, P.E., bridge preservation engineer, Washington (State) Department of Transportation

“Projects [may be] deferred due to flat revenues.” – W. Kyle Stollings, director of Maintenance Division, West Virginia Department of Transportation

What We Do

The Bridge Inventory is an annual survey begun in 1979. Bridge engineers from each state and Washington, D.C., are sent a survey with both qualitative and quantitative questions.

How deficient and obsolete bridges break out in 2011 -- States and the District of Columbia have provided separate counts for the latest numbers on the breakdown of their structurally deficient (SD) and functionally obsolete (FO) bridges. For the FHWA’s explanation of what makes a bridge structurally deficient and how a bridge becomes functionally obsolete, go to http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2008cpr/chap3.htm#7. Better Roads’ editorial staff would like to thank all the state highway engineers for their continuing cooperation and special effort to provide current data. The data was collected through November 2011.

Q&A:

Do environmental restrictions affect how well you can replace or repair deficient bridges?

Yes

Jeff C. Vigil, P.E., state bridge management engineer, New Mexico Department of Transportation: “Yes. Environmental restrictions and restrictions due to historical classification of bridges cause delays to our bridge projects.”

Benjamin W. Foster, assistant bridge maintenance engineer, Maine Department of Transportation: “Yes. [It] increases construction costs.”

Mike Clements, state bridge engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation: “Yes. Environmental documents increase the time from concept to letting.”

Thomas Martin, bridge maintenance engineer of Minnesota Bridges and Structures: “Yes. Project time span and costs are increased due to environmental restrictions and compliance.”

Bruce Johnson, bridge engineer, Oregon Department of Transportation: “Yes. [It] adds cost and delays.”