Kentucky earned a grade of C- in a new infrastructure report card from the state’s 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
According to the report, in 2011, nearly 9.25 percent of all bridges in Kentucky were structurally deficient; by 2017, 7.77 percent were structurally deficient, a reduction of 180 bridges. Looking ahead the state estimates it will cost $1.8 billion to repair all the bridges in need of work.
This does not include the needed repairs and additional capacity needed on the I-75 bridge between Kentucky and Ohio, nor does it include a new I-69 bridge over the Ohio River between Kentucky and Indiana.
Naitore Djigbenou, executive director of the Office of Public Affairs for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said even though the grade means mediocre, all of the bridges across the state are still safe to use.
“These grades are not a reflection of safety, but rather reflect of areas of improvement,” she said. “With a C- grade we know in Kentucky there are several bridges that need upgrades.”
Infrastructure is graded on eight criteria: capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience and innovation.
Djigbenou said the state wants to strategically repair or rehab Kentucky bridges before they have to be closed and affect school bus routes and daily travel.
Approximately 70 bridges are currently closed in Kentucky due to their safety rating.
The report card is actually meant to be a snapshot of where Kentucky stands as a state.
Djigbenou said the bridges across the Commonwealth require a continual investment.
“It’s never a static thing, every year we are making rapid improvements more bridges will be added to the backlog,” she said. “The governor really charged us to focus on asset management. Last year’s highway plan had an almost unprecedented about in money for a safety-first approach of taking care of bridges we already have.”
The Bridging Kentucky program, which was started in 2018, is repairing and rehabbing three times as many bridges as compared to the years before the program was formed. In fact, the program has identified bridges in all 120 counties in the Commonwealth — including 10 in Daviess County.
Infrastructure deteriorates as it ages, and it must be repaired or replaced when it exceeds its potential. The effects of time, weather, and increased use from a growing population are all impacting the quality of the infrastructure in the state.
The KYTC inventories and inspects more than 14,000 bridges in accordance with the National Bridge Inspection Standards.
After prioritizing the list of transportation infrastructure needs and publishing the 2018 Highway Plan, KYTC instituted the Bridging Kentucky program to provide funding for these projects. Between 2018 and 2024, approved construction projects will restore more than 1,000 state, county and municipal bridges across all of Kentucky. Approximately $700 million will be invested over the next six years.
