US infrastructure needs cash

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The cost of repairing every deficient bridge in the US would be $140bn (£72bn), according to a new report, with engineers in the UK this week warning against complacency in the maintenance of UK infrastructure.

The report published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), "Bridging the Gap - Restoring and Rebuilding the Nation's Bridges", shared the average age of bridges in the US is 43 years old and the design life is usually 50 years.

"While 50 years ago the nation faced an historic period of bridge construction, today it faces
an historic period of bridge repair and reconstruction," said the report.

However, depleting funds and rising costs are putting a strain on attempts made to keep the transport network ticking over.

UK engineers have warned against complacency.

"We shouldn't be smug in the UK and think it couldn't happen here," said Gifford director
Ian Hunt.

"Maintenance is too often a Cinderella activity.  Something to be put-off or deferred when setting tight budgets in favour of what are seen to be more socially important issues.  In the end, however, pigeons do come home to roost.  Bridges will continue to give service unnoticed by the travelling public until something goes wrong.  And when a bridge "goes wrong" it tends to let go in a pretty major way."

According to the AASHTO report, nearly every US state faces funding shortages that will prevent them from ongoing, stable investment in preventative maintenance, repair and replacement.  State Transport Departments are increasingly having to resort to load restrictions and closures, which should be seen as "a safety net rather than solution".

The report also called for support for a wide range of revenue options such as tolls, tax increases, annual road user fees, bonds, or private investment.

As a result of the catastrophic collapse of the I35W bridge in Minneapolis last August, which  killed 13 people and injured more than 100, the mechanisms for increased infrastructure funding is being put into place.

Legislation for an additional £4bn in infrastructure spending is headed to the senate (NCE 31.07.08) and a £1.5bn spending plan was approved last week by the House and Senate for Massachusetts.

Plans for similar infrastructure overhauls are being made in states across the nation.

"The ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) shares AASHTO'S concerns about the state of the nation's bridges," said ASCE's Board of Direction member and Hardesty & Hanover partner Andy Herrmann.

"In our 2005 report card, we gave it a grade C. Things are starting to improve. Since last year, six states have stepped forward with programmes to improve their bridges."