Most District of Columbia bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, according to recent data provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics concerning the state of the nation’s bridges. One hundred and fifty-two of its 245 bridges, or 62 percent, rated in one of these two categories, the highest percentage in the nation.
“A structurally deficient bridge is nearing the end of its useful life,” D.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Erik Linden said. “These bridges are our highest priority to upgrade. They are basically still safe. If it were ever a safety issue, we would close that bridge immediately.”
The District has 24 bridges that fall under the structurally deficient category according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics—approximately 10 percent of its bridges. The national average is 13 percent.
“This rating does not mean that the bridge is about to fall,” said American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials spokesperson Jennifer Gavin said. “Instead, a bridge with this rating is more frequently inspected and weight limits are imposed. Work is usually done to structurally shore up the bridge.” The recent bridge collapse in Minnesota involved a bridge rated structurally deficient.
A classification of functionally obsolete does not concern bridging condition. Functionally obsolete bridges are often from another era of construction and do not meet modern standards.
These bridges may lack in shoulders or have short approaches, problems that are difficult to fix in urban areas due to lack of space or aesthetic reasons. These bridges create traffic problems, but are not in danger of collapse, according to Gavin.
Despite the large numbers of bridges classified, Linden said that D.C. fared better than other cities, such as Baltimore. But he noted that current funds are not enough to complete all necessary repairs.
DDOT is currently renovating the Frederick Douglass Bridge on South Capitol Street, which was built in 1955, partly due to structural deficiencies. Plans are also in the works to renovate the 11th Street Bridges, which cross the Anacostia, another bridge north of the National Zoo along Connecticut Avenue, and a bridge along 9th St NE starting next year. However, Linden said that there are currently no plans for more bridge repair this year.
While the Key Bridge is not noted as structurally deficient, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty’s 2008 proposed budget has appropriated $13 million over 4 years for repairing the Key Bridge’s deck. The budget includes over $133 million for DDOT, more than double last year’s budget. In comparison, over $5 billion was spent in the 2004-2005 fiscal year for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
