ARTBA 2023 Bridge Report: 222,000 U.S. Bridges Need Major Repairs

What’s happening: ARTBA’s annual report on the state of America’s bridges Aug. 18 found that 36 percent – 222,000 – of the nation’s bridge spans need major work and should be replaced. Based on average cost data submitted by states to the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), ARTBA calculates it would cost over $319 billion to make all needed repairs.

Why it matters: The analysis by ARTBA Chief Economist Alison Black of U.S. DOT’s 2023 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database shows that while the number of bridges in poor condition dropped by 560 compared to 2022, nearly 42,400 are still rated in poor condition and structurally deficient. Moreover, as the end of the 2023 fiscal year approaches, states have committed only $3.2 billion in bridge formula money available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), accounting for 30 percent of the $10.6 billion in formula funds currently available.

What’s next: Thanks to the IIJA, improvements in bridge conditions are forthcoming. States will have available another $15.9 billion in bridge formula funds over the next three years to help make much-needed repairs. Eight states have already committed more than two-thirds of their available formula funds. Most bridges are inspected every two years, so it takes time for repairs and rehabilitation efforts to show up in the annual federal data, said Black. What we do know now from other market indicators is that there are more bridge projects in the pipeline.