"Keeping Our Bridges Safe"

Maine bridges continue to be safe

But MaineDOT is only funding bridges at half of what is necessary to maintain and extend bridge life

Augusta, Maine – The Maine Department of Transportation has released its second Keeping Our Bridges Safe report. The report states on page one “The reality is that many bridges are not receiving timely preservation. These bridges will reach poor condition sooner than expected and compete with other bridges for replacements. As Maine can’t fund all the replacements in a timely manner, choices are made to ensure bridge safety.” The report also finds “Bridge funding needs to address both the need to rehabilitate or replace poor bridges and to proactively pursue preservation as a strategy to achieve long-term savings.” MaineDOT’s current funding level of $70 million per year is only half of what is needed to maintain and extend the life of Maine’s bridges.

The report continues to say that a long-term investment of $140 million per year will eliminate at least 90% of the structurally deficient and poor bridges on Maine’s most important roadways. This funding level will improve the average condition of Maine’s bridges over the next 25 years. It will also slow the deterioration of bridges that are in good condition which will reduce future investment needs.
In 2012 the Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave Maine bridges a Cand noted conditions improved from 2008 to 2012 due to legislation passed in 2008 that provided additional short-term funding. That funding initiative has expired and needs to be replaced as MaineDOT recommends or otherwise Maine bridges may slip backwards and the grade could be reduced in the next Report Card planned to be issued in 2016 or 2017.

The 2012 Report Card for Maine’s Infrastructure, assigned the state’s 14 infrastructure areas a cumulative grade of “C-,“ which was unchanged from the first Report Card in 2008. The Report Card covered roads, bridges, railroads, ports and waterways, passenger transportation, airports, dams, municipal wastewater, municipal drinking water, contaminated site remediation, solid waste, schools, energy, and state parks.
“The trend we see with the condition of bridges in Maine is one that we could apply to most of the infrastructure categories that we evaluate,” said Lauren Swett, P.E., 2014-2015 President of the Maine Section of ASCE. “While short- term funding increases do result in improvements, a consistent source of funding is necessary to raise the grade and meet the needs of the public. Ongoing investment in all of Maine’s infrastructure will be critical to first maintain, and eventually improve the quality of life for Mainers.”

The Maine Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (Maine Section ASCE) represents more than 700 civil engineering professionals who live and work in Maine. Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 145,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. For more information and a full copy of the Report Card report visit www.maineasce.org.

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