Bridge Conditions Inch Upward

This article presents a survey of bridges in the U.S. In an initial overview of bridge conditions, the article notes that while total deficiencies dropped by 0.5% in 2006, engineers are predicting that 2007 will be a flat year. The article discusses how Pontis, a bridge management system software, is being used by more than 40 states and cities to help engineers and administrators keep track of bridge inventory and inspection data. The software is also used for developing optimal preservation policies, simulating conditions, and predicting performance measures. The bridge survey indicates the total number of Interstate and state bridges, as well as city/county/township bridges, in each state, the number of structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges, and combined totals. Included in the article is a bridge trends map showing current bridge conditions in the U.S. and the four-year trend in each state's inventory of deficient and obsolete bridges. The article also includes responses by a number of state DOT bridge inspectors to a survey looking into current maintenance practices and future expectations.