America’s Bridges Slowly Healing

Here is some uplifting news. The United States’ infrastructure has been an issue for decades now, as bridges have been in desperate need of repair, but often only being repaired when it becomes an emergency. According to recently released data, however, things are starting to look up for bridges nationwide.

Details

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) analyzes the DOT’s National Bridge Inventory Database every year so that we do not have to do so. What they have found is a downward trend for the past fives years regarding the number of bridges that are in need of repair:

• 2019: 230,947
• 2020: 229,833
• 2021: 223,972
• 2022: 223,037
• 2023: 222,017

It goes without saying that this rate of repair is an absolute trickle (at 1,600 bridges per year, all would be repaired by around 2162, and that is not including future wear and tear of other bridges), but it is good to see some progress being made.

“The good news is that states are beginning to employ these new resources to address long-overdue bridge needs,” said Dave Bauer, President & CEO of ARTBA. “The better news is that more improvements are on the way.”

Part of this is due to Biden’s signature upon the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which has earmarked $10.6 billion in bridge repair funds, with another $15.9 billion over the next three years.

Conclusion

One other interesting point that ARTBA has discovered is that bridges across the United States are becoming more “fair”, in terms of rating. This is in part due to the repair of “poor” crossings, but also attention being diverted away from “good” bridges until they are in need of repair.

As states get more and more funding from the federal government for infrastructure repair, it will be interesting to see what the end result is in 2024. If the rate of healing were to keep pace with what it was from 2020 to 2021 (during a time when most people stayed home), all of these bridges would be repaired by 2060, which is far easier to visualize than 2162. But as with all things government, it is hard to keep hopes up in regards to getting things done in a timely manner.

ABOUT TOPMARK FUNDING

TopMark Funding is a top-rated semi-truck financing and trailer financing company located in Roseville, CA. We specialize in commercial trucking and heavy equipment. Our mission is to become your long-term financial partner by helping you grow your trucking business and fleet.

We’re not here for the short-term, we’re on the long-haul with you!

We have financing options for trailers, semi-trucks, commercial trucks, and small businesses. We have great rates, low down payments, and flexible monthly payments regardless of credit history.

Learn more about Trailer Financing.

Fill out the contact form or give us a call at (866) 627-6644. One of our truck financing specialists will contact you as soon as possible to go over your truck lease needs and learn more about you and your business financing goals.