Dozens of aging bridges across 16 states are set to be replaced or upgraded with the assistance of $5 billion in federal grants, announced by President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday. These funds are part of a sweeping infrastructure law aimed at modernizing the nation’s transportation networks.
The projects span from coast to coast, with the most significant allocation being $1.4 billion to replace two vertical lift bridges over the Columbia River, connecting Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. These bridges, which had already received $600 million in December, are identified as the “worst trucking bottleneck” in the region, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The new bridges will feature seismic resilience and multimodal capabilities, accommodating vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and transit.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek hailed the federal funding as “fantastic news,” emphasizing its economic benefits and its contribution to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.
Other notable projects receiving $500 million or more include the Sagamore Bridge in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; an Interstate 10 bridge project in Mobile, Alabama; and the Interstate 83 South bridge in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Buttigieg highlighted the importance of these projects during a visit on Wednesday.
“These bridges impact entire regions and, ultimately, the entire U.S. economy,” Buttigieg stated. “Their condition necessitates urgent investment to ensure safety and maintain the smooth operation of our supply chains.”
The grants are part of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure law signed by Biden in 2021, allocating $40 billion to bridge projects over five years—the largest dedicated bridge investment in decades. Biden has been promoting the infrastructure law as part of his reelection campaign against former President Donald Trump.
However, the grants represent only a fraction of the estimated $319 billion needed for bridge repairs across the U.S., according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.
Approximately 42,400 bridges nationwide are in poor condition, carrying about 167 million vehicles daily. Four-fifths of these bridges have issues with their supporting structures, and over 15,800 have remained in poor condition for a decade, based on an Associated Press analysis.
The average age of the nation’s deteriorating bridges is 70 years.
Bridges play a crucial role that often goes unnoticed until their closure disrupts commutes and commerce. This was starkly demonstrated in March when a cargo ship collided with a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, causing the bridge to collapse into the water and killing six road crew workers. Maryland officials estimate that rebuilding the bridge could take four years and cost up to $1.9 billion.
Some of the projects announced Wednesday include multiple bridges, such as a $251 million grant to improve 15 bridges around Providence, Rhode Island. This project is separate from the replacement of the Interstate 195 Washington Bridge over the Seekonk River, which was abruptly closed to traffic last year due to structural issues.
In Florida, Miami-Dade County will receive $101 million to replace 11 Venetian Causeway bridges, which are nearly a century old.
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Other bridge projects receiving funding include the Interstate 55 bridge over the Mississippi River connecting Arkansas and Tennessee; the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington, North Carolina; four bridges carrying Interstate 95 over Lake Marion in South Carolina; the U.S. 70 bridge over Lake Texoma in Oklahoma; two bridges carrying Interstate 25 over Nogal Canyon in New Mexico; the 18th Street bridge in Kansas City, Kansas; and the Market Street bridge over the Ohio River connecting Steubenville, Ohio, with East Steubenville, West Virginia.
