There are many bridges built over rough seas.
The Empire State ranks 11th in the nation for aging bridges, with nearly all bridges in the state (99.46%) in need of some type of repair, according to the report.
Additionally, nearly 10 percent of New York state's 17,642 bridges had deteriorated to the point of being classified as “structurally deficient,” according to a 2024 report from the National Highway Transportation Contractors Association.
The top 10 are all in New York City. The Bridge of Shame pantheon included portions of Interstate 95, the Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx, and most infamously the infamous elevated section of the BQE on the Brooklyn Prominade.
“Normally you don't want to be at the top of that list because that clearly indicates there are some challenges with the condition of the bridge,” Nicole Black, ARTBA's chief economist, told the Post. spoke.
Iowa ranks first, with 20% of the state's bridges labeled as “structurally deficient,” according to the report.
West Virginia came in second, followed by South Dakota, Maine, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Michigan and North Dakota.
A “structurally deficient” rating means that one of the bridge's major structural elements (deck, superstructure, substructure, culvert) is rated as being in poor or worst condition.
“It doesn't mean the bridge is at risk of collapsing or falling,” Black said.
Black said most DOTs reduce weight loads before a structure is about to collapse.
“We know that if there are concerns about the safety of the bridge or the passing public during the inspection process, the DOT may close lanes on the bridge…or reduce the weight of trucks that can pass over the bridge, etc. “There are things that can be done to reduce the stress on the bridge,” Black said.
However, the report says nearly all 17,548 of New York City's 17,642 bridges require some type of repair. The report is compiled from bridge inspection records collected by each state and submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The problem is getting worse, with 68 more bridges in the state classified as structurally deficient this year than last year.
Federal funding will help close the gap with transportation projects.
New York state is currently eligible for $1.2 billion in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, but the state has so far allocated only about $46.5 million of it. The state has until 2026 to spend the remaining funds.
A state Department of Transportation spokesperson told the Post that the funds will be distributed to more than 235 individual local bridge projects through the Bridge NY program.
