Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/597582
N o surprise: the top chal- lenge facing state DOTs in improving structurally defi cient (SD) and function- ally obsolete (FO) bridges is funding, according to our 2015 Better Roads Bridge Inventory. And while maintenance was second on the list of challenges, this year staffi ng also mentioned as a top-level concern. The national average for percent- age of SD/FO bridges increased slightly to 21.3 percent this year, from last year's 20.5 percent. The majority of the SD/FO bridges are rated FO at 11.8 percent (70,691) with 9.5 percent (56,750) being rated SD. But it's not all about the numbers. We expanded this year's survey with more qualitative questions. We asked for details on what preserva- tion techniques states were using to prolong the life of bridges. We also asked for opinions on the Federal Highway Administration's require- ment to rate bridge conditions by the square foot and individual com- ponents, such as the deck, instead of by the whole structure. And, as we review how individual states rank, we'll look at both the top fi ve states with the lowest per- centage of SD/FO bridges, as well as those with the highest percent- age of these bridges. HOW THE STATES STACK UP: The Top Five states with the lowest SD/FO Bridges Ohio is the bridge poster child, with only 6.3 percent of the 27,940 bridges listed as SD/FO, a drop of 7 percent from last year. There is one caveat, however. As it did last year, the Ohio Department of Transporta- tion (ODOT) did not list FO bridges, only supplying the number of SD bridges (1,764). The states fractural critical bridge count reached 1,389. Replacing superstructures would do the most to improve bridges, ODOT says. The state uses this tactic as one of its top rehabilita- tion techniques. It also uses partial or complete deck replacement and widening. November 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com 26 bridge inventory | by Chris Hill | ChrisHill@randallreilly.com (continued on page 28) 2015 BETTER ROADS INVENTORY BRIDGE OHIO