In last week's annual update given by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to highway commissioners, MoDOT reported nearly 600 state bridges that are in serious or poor condition.
However, state transportation officials said that bridges classified as being in poor condition are still safe for drivers and do not need to be shut down.
The latest report represents statewide lapse since MoDOT completed its Safe and Sound Campaign in November 2012, which aimed to improve 802 of the worst-condition bridges.
Last week’s list included 591 bridges, 24 of which are in the St. Louis region, and MoDOT expects that number to reach 1,434 over the next 10 years. Three bridges have been closed so far with no plans to reopen.
Even though many of these bridges are still considered safe to pass over, without any transportation funding, Missouri will run out of money by 2017 to match federal funds generated by the gas tax. Federal funds currently provide $4 for every $1 matched by the state.
To cope with the uncertainty of federal funding, MoDOT pans to reduce rail service to stay in line with its $325 annual budget and delay further damage to state bridges. The state expects to support approximately 8,000 miles of the 34,000 miles of state roads by concentrating its efforts on primary roads that connect major cities with a population of 1,000 or more.
