New Report: 14% of Louisiana Bridges are Structurally Deficient

A new report shows 14 percent of bridges in Louisiana are structurally deficient, with a need for rehabilitation or possibly even replacement. Spokesperson for the transportation research group TRIP, Rocky Moretti, says precautions are being taken with some of these bridges in order to extend structural lifespans.

"In some cases these bridges are being restricted to lightweight vehicles and a few of them have been closed, but the inspectors generally feel the bridges can remain open," says Moretti.

Moretti says fixing all of the bridge issues is not something that can happen overnight and it’ll take funding from all levels of government.

"It is estimated that currently, it would cost $1.9 billion to rehabilitate or replace all of the structurally deficient bridges in Louisiana," says Moretti.

Moretti says the bridge issue is not just a problem in rural areas as many of the structurally deficient bridges see plenty of daily traffic.

"In the New Orleans area, one million vehicles a day are crossing over structurally deficient bridges and in the Baton Rouge area, it's over four hundred thousand vehicles a day," says Moretti.

14% of Louisiana Bridges are Structurally Deficient says New Report