DALLAS – (WBAP/KLIF) – As another bridge incident claiming lives hits the headlines, this time in Baltimore, WBAP/KLIF took a look at the condition of area bridges in the state, wondering how safe drivers are in their daily commutes.
Of several bridges and overpasses in the DFW Metro area, the Dallas Morning News reports Texas bridges are among the safest in the nation. Of concern to drivers may be the bridges listed as “structurally deficient”; they are listed by DMN as Interstate 35E over Oak Lawn Avenue; Interstate 30 over Lake Ray Hubbard, Northbound I-45 connector over I-30; I-30 Westbound over I-635 and I-635 Eastbound over the Kansas City Southbound Railroad.
Tony Hartzel with TXDOT says “structurally deficient” does not mean dangerous. Hartzel says bridges across Texas are inspected every two years by TXDOT, and if a bridge is deemed dangerous to drivers, it is closed to traffic immediately. Hartzel says “structurally deficient” is an engineering term that, broadly, means repairs are needed, including those routinely discovered during scheduled inspections, and routinely repaired. Pavement issues are the most common as traffic load increases from year to year, and flexibility issues are more routine than many other issues as well. Flexibility issues may be as simple as cleaning dust and dirt accumulated alongside bridges where flex points are located.
A 2023 analysis by American Road and Transportation Builders Association would suggest Texas bridges are among the safest in the nation. Almost 20% of the more than 56,000 bridges in texas do need repair, according to the numbers, but less than 2% are considered structurally deficient.
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