State of Michigan Launches Highway Bridge Safety Web Site
By admin - Posted on August 20th, 2007
August 17, 2007 -- Michigan State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle today announced that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has posted information about the safety of 4,402 state highway bridges to the MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/highwaybridgereport. Steudle said the information was being made available to emphasize the safety of travel on state highway bridges and to assure the public that MDOT is actively inspecting and maintaining bridges in Michigan.
"It's important for people to understand the federal rating system and to be able to quickly find information about state-owned bridges in their communities. This online information is a snapshot of the ongoing bridge maintenance and inspection work we do every day to ensure the safest possible travel experience for Michigan motorists," said Steudle.
Bridge ratings, which can be downloaded by route number and/or county, are current as of Aug. 15 and will be updated regularly. Only highway bridges greater than 20 feet in length are included; ratings for pedestrian and locally-owned bridges are also not included.
Steudle noted that the state has significantly increased funding to rehabilitate and/or replace bridge structures over the past 10 years, and that an average of $190 million will be invested in state bridges each year over the next five years. MDOT also has increased the number of bridge inspectors in recent years, Steudle said. In 1996, there were six highly qualified bridge inspectors; currently, there are more than 20 who have specialized training and work in teams of two.
National Bridge Inspection Standards require MDOT to inspect bridges every two years. The Mackinac, International and Blue Water bridges are inspected annually, exceeding federal requirements. These bridges are managed by bridge authorities, and their ratings are not included in the list MDOT has posted to the Web. The rating for the Ambassador Bridge, which is privately owned, also is not included.
Source: Michigan Department of Transportation
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