Here Are The Most-Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges In SEI

A national inventory of bridges finds than more than 1,200 in Indiana are classified as structurally deficient.

State Road 350 bridge over Hogan Creek is rated as structurally deficient. Google Street View image.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - A new study reveals 1,203 Indiana bridges are considered structurally deficient.

That's six percent of the bridges in the state, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s 2019 National Bridge Inventory.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, a highway bridge is classified as structurally deficient if the deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert is rated in "poor" condition - 0 to 4 on the NBI rating scale. A bridge can also be classified as structurally deficient if its load carrying capacity is significantly below current design standards or if a waterway below frequently tops the bridge during floods.

The good news is that the bad bridge figure in Indiana is down from 1,796 bridges which were classified as structurally deficient in 2014.

The Indiana Department of Transportation says the state invests around $400 million in bridge projects each year.  The ARTBA’s report states that more than 3,000 Indiana bridges are in need of repair with a total estimated cost of $1.6 billion.

Still, only approximately 140 of the 1,200 deficient bridges are INDOT's responsibility. Those 140 will see significant repairs in the next few years, the agency says.

The other deficient bridges are mostly county-owned bridges.  

Below is a list of some of the most-used bridges in southeastern Indiana which are classified as structurally deficient, according to the ARTBA report:

County; location; year built; daily crossings; type of bridge

• Dearborn; SR 350 over Hogan Creek; 1981; 10,943; rural major collector
• Dearborn; Harrison-Brookville Road over Johnson Fork Creek; 1925; 9,690; rural major collector
• Ripley; SR 46 over Little Pipe Creek; 1932; 6;604; rural major collector
• Dearborn; Jamison Road over Little Jamison Creek; 1940; 5,720; rural major collector (currently being replaced this spring/summer)
• Franklin; SR 46 over Laughery Creek; 1938; 4,759; rural major collector
• Ripley; US 421 over Graham Creek; 1931; 4,373; rural minor arterial