Report: More Than 1K Wisconsin Bridges In Need Of Repair

Wisconsin has 14,275 bridges. Of those, 1,054 — or 7.4 percent — have been deemed structurally deficient in a new report.

According to the report issued by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the state has identified necessary repairs on 1,955 bridges in Wisconsin at an estimated cost of $1.4 billion.

Wisconsin bridges are inspected at least once every two years, said Bill Oliva, chief of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Structural Development Section.

“Drivers do not need to be concerned about safety in that we have a very robust inspection program to identify those bridges that have a condition issue,” he said, adding that overall Wisconsin’s bridges are “above average.”

Still, the report indicated structurally deficient bridges need urgent repair. It also said most of the bridges that were identified as structurally deficient were built more than 60 years ago.

The report shows thousands of drivers cross a deficient bridge every day, but did indicate that the number of unsound bridges in the state has fallen over the last four years.

Of the ten most traveled structurally deficient bridges listed in the report, five are in Milwaukee County; two on Interstate-43, two on Interstate-41, and one on County Highway PP.

Correction: This story previously stated that Milwaukee County has the most structurally deficient bridges in the state, with a total of five. The list referenced only listed the top ten most traveled deficient bridges in the state.