Maryland Has 300 Structurally Deficient Bridges: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — Americans cross bridges rated as "structurally deficient" 174 million times a day, according to a new analysis of federal data. And Maryland has plenty of bridges that need repaired or replaced (see list below).

There are more than 612,000 bridges in the country; of those, 54,259 were rated structurally deficient, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. In Maryland, there are 300 of them, according to a report released this week by the association.

Inspectors rate bridge decks and support structures on a scale of zero to nine for deterioration and remedial action. A rating of nine means the bridge is in "excellent" condition. A rating of four or below means a bridge is classified as structurally deficient and in need of repair. Maryland ranked 37th in the country in highest percentage of bridges deemed to be in poor condition and 39th highest based on the actual number of such bridges.

The 300 structurally deficient bridges account for 5.6 percent of all bridges in Maryland. The state said 1,564 bridges are in need of repairs and estimated it would cost $1.7 billion to fix them. The study says 17 structurally deficient bridges in the state are on interstate highways; 266 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.

Here is a list of the most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Maryland:

1. Prince George's County, built in 1963, 203,660 daily crossings, I95/495 over MD 214
2. Prince George's County, built in 1963, 185,190 daily crossings, I95 outer and inner lanes over Suitland Parkway
3. Prince George's County, built in 1963, 177,270 daily crossings, I95 outer and inner lanes over Suitland Road
4. Prince George's County, built in 1963, 143,828 daily crossings, I95/495 over MD 414
5. Baltimore County, built in 1950, 113,761 daily crossings, I83 NBR over Padonia Road
6. Frederick County, built in 1950, 109,670 daily crossings, I270 northbound and southbound over MD 85
7. Baltimore County, built in 1965, 72,000 daily crossings, Perring Pkwy Ramp over Herring Run
8. Baltimore County, built in 1951, 69,930 daily crossings, Russell Street Via over Ostend Street and CSX
9. Baltimore County, built in 1958, 66,910 daily crossings, I895 over City Streets, B&O, Pa Railroad
10. Washington County, built in 1968, 62,740 daily crossings, I70 EB over MD 65

See the full list of Maryland bridges that need repair on the American Road & Transportation Builders website.

In 21 states nationwide, at least 9 percent of bridges were rated structurally deficient, the analysis found. If placed end-to-end, the number of such bridges could stretch more than 1,200 miles — nearly the distance between Miami and New York City. On average, those bridges were built 67 years ago, when Harry Truman was president. Non-deficient bridges were 27 years younger on average.

Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and New York have the most structurally deficient bridges, the analysis found.

The Federal Highway Administration told NBC News in a statement, that the report "underscores the need for investment in our nation's infrastructure."

"It also highlights the importance of streamlining the permitting process, so that the projects that are funded can move forward without undue delay," the agency said.

The road and transportation group that conducted the analysis is a non-partisan federation that aims to "aggressively grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment" in order to meet demand for safe and efficient travel.

Alison Premo Black, chief economist for the group, said in a release that it would take 37 years to remedy every bridge at the current pace of repair or replacement. An infrastructure package aimed at modernizing the interstate system would benefit the economy both in the short and long term, she said.

Traffic bottlenecks cost the trucking industry alone more than $60 billion a year in lost productivity and fuel. That “increases the cost of everything we make, buy or export," she said.

President Donald Trump talked about the nation's crumbling infrastructure during the State of the Union on Tuesday night. During his campaign, he pledged to spend $1 trillion to rebuild America's roads and bridges.

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