Michigan Bridges: Data Shows Many Are 'Structurally Deficient'

WASHINGTON, DC – A new report shows that more than 10 percent of Michigan's bridges have been deemed "structurally deficient." Of Michigan's 11,180 bridges, 1,175 of them are rated structurally deficient, meaning they need repairs.

Among the 25 most traveled structurally deficient bridges in the state, 17 are in Wayne County. Of those 17, 11 of them at along Interstate 75. It's the same stretch of road where the Michigan Department of Transportation has staked out detours and road closures while repairs are conducted.

Bridges and public infrastructure also are likely to get some attention on Tuesday night, when President Donald Trump is expected to talk about the nation's crumbling infrastructure during the State of the Union. During his campaign, he pledged to spend $1 trillion to rebuild America's roads and bridges.

The recent bridge report was prepared by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, an organization that lobbies government agencies for highway repairs and includes contractors, equipment manufacturers and public infrastructure planners. The organization based its findings on data released in January by the Federal Highway Administration.

Inspectors rate bridge decks and support structures on a scale of zero to nine for deterioration and remedial action. A rating of nine means the bridge is in “excellent” condition. A rating of four or below means a bridge is classified as structurally deficient and in need of repair.

Americans cross bridges rated as structurally deficient 174 million times a day, the report noted. There are more than 612,000 bridges in the country; of those, 54,259 were rated structurally deficient, according to the organization.

In 21 states nationwide, at least 9 percent of bridges were rated structurally deficient, the analysis found. If placed end-to-end, the number of such bridges could stretch more than 1,200 miles — nearly the distance between Miami and New York City.

Officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the organization's report.

Michigan ranked 16th in the country in highest percentage of bridges deemed to be in poor condition and 18th highest based on the actual number of such bridges, according to the report. It indicates that 63 structurally deficient bridges in the state are part of the intestate highway system.

Over the last five years, bridge investment has accounted for 22.4 percent of highway and bridge contract awards in the state, compared to an average of 28.9 percent nationwide, according to the report. The state has identified needed repairs on 1,736 bridges, and estimates the cost will be $9.2 billion.

The 10 most traveled bridges rated as structurally deficient are:

1. Second Boulevard over I-96 in Wayne County, built in 1954, 146,000 crossings each day
2. M-39 over Rouge River in Wayne County, built in 1963, 114,656 crossings each day
3. I-75 over Rouge River, Dearborn Street and railroad, built in 1967, 100,492 crossings each day
4. I-75 over Fort Street in Wayne County, built in 1967, 100,492 crossings each day
5. I-94 over Portage Road in Kalamazoo County, built in 1956, 69,260 crossings each day
6. M-102/8 mile Road over I-75 in Wayne County, built in 1969, 68,056 crossings each day
7. I-75 southbound over M-150/Rochester Road in Oakland County, built in 1964, 65,985 crossings each day
8. I-94 westbound over Ecorse Road in Wayne County, built in 1962, 65,737 crossings each day
9. I-94 over Conrail & Grand River in Jackson County, built 1949, 64,800 crossings each day
10. US-24 Telegraph Road over Rouge River in Wayne County, built in 1967, 63,820 crossings each day

Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and New York have the most structurally deficient bridges, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association's analysis found.

The Federal Highway Administration told NBC News in a statement, that the report "underscores the need for investment in our nation's infrastructure."

"It also highlights the importance of streamlining the permitting process, so that the projects that are funded can move forward without undue delay," the agency said.

The road and transportation group that conducted the analysis is a non-partisan federation that aims to "aggressively grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment" in order to meet demand for safe and efficient travel.

Alison Premo Black, chief economist for the group, said in a release that it would take 37 years to remedy every bridge at the current pace of repair or replacement. An infrastructure package aimed at modernizing the interstate system would benefit the economy both in the short and long term, she said.

Traffic bottlenecks cost the trucking industry alone more than $60 billion a year in lost productivity and fuel. That “increases the cost of everything we make, buy or export," she said.

File photo by the Associated Press