Efforts under way to fix bridges with poor ratings
22.05.12
The number of bridges maintained by the Connecticut Department of Transportation that are rated in poor condition has grown over the past decade as they age.
Records reviewed by The Associated Press show that out of the nearly 4,000 road bridges, 190 were deemed in poor condition in 2000. That figure grew to 317 by 2010.
"We do in fact have a decreasing condition of bridges," said Thomas Harley, the DOT's chief engineer. Because the state has not dedicated the necessary cash needed to keep up with regular maintenance, Harley said the list of needed repairs has grown.
In November, Commissioner James Redeker appeared at Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's monthly commissioners meeting and said the bridges are the agency's "biggest challenge," pointing to how the number of outstanding problems to fix had grown from 531 just 11 years ago to about 2,000 today.
"It's just the aging infrastructure, particularly in New England. It's a major challenge and we're addressing it," he said. "But the problem continues. So, this is going to be a major focus of how we work and we invest our resources, because we can't wait."
Source: BusinessWeek
