Washtenaw County's bridges rank among the worst in the state, according to a recent report from the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, which represents highway construction companies and suppliers.
The county tied for second place in the state -- with Genesee and Mason counties - for the highest percentage of local bridges in poor condition.
In addition, Washtenaw County was ranked fifth, tying with Charlevoix County, with the highest percentage of all bridges that are in poor condition.
According to the report, 3,055 of the state's 10,831 bridges are rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete with such things as either deteriorating beams or decks that could cause them to be closed.
"More money for bridges is needed statewide," said Roy Townsend, county road engineer. "We should be replacing two to three bridges every year, and we've barely been replacing one."
But not for a lack of trying to get funding from state and federal sources. The Road Commission submits five applications for bridge funding each year.
In Washtenaw County, 66 of its 135 local bridges, or 49 percent, were found to be in poor condition. Not all of these are under the jurisdiction of the Washtenaw County Road Commission, however. Some are city-owned or Michigan Department of Transportation bridges.
Of the 135 local bridges in the county, 33 bridges, or 29 percent, were deemed to be in poor condition.
According to a March 26 report on the Road Commission website, of the 111 county bridges, 43 were in good condition, 29 in fair condition, 23 in poor condition and 16 were in critical condition.
There are a number of closed bridges in the county, including several in Lima Township.
But replacing them comes with a price. In 1992, the state program to replace local bridges was funded with $440 million statewide and about 150 bridges were replaced, Townsend said.
Funding comes from a percentage of the state's gas tax and gas tax revenue has decreased by more than $100 million since 1997, which is the last time the gas tax was increased, according to the press release.
The same level of funding is planned for 2012 and about 27 bridges and 13 rehabilitation projects will be funded.
"So, that's about 40 bridges across the state," Townsend said.
In other words, about one-quarter of the bridge projects are being completed because there has been no increase in funding since 1992.
"Plus, the cost has more than doubled," Townsend said.
In four years, the Road Commission has received funding for two bridges, he said.
In 2010, the Dexter-Pinckney Road Bridge in Dexter Township was replaced. Before that, the Plymouth Road Bridge in Superior Township was replaced in 2009, the East Delhi Bridge in Scio Township was rehabilitated in 2008-2009 and in 2007-2008 the Dexter Main Street Bridge was replaced.
"It took us about 10 years to get funding for that," Townsend said of the Main Street Bridge.
A bridge replacement averages about $1 million and state and federal funding pays for about 95 percent of the cost, he said.
"Disinvesting in roads and bridges when Michigan is desperately trying to climb out of a deep economic hole is short-sighted public policy," said Mike Nystrom, executive vice president of MITA in a press release. "While it's easy to point fingers and blame road agencies for the poor bridges, the reality is that they've been underfunded for decades."
Marquette County had the highest percentage of local bridges in poor condition with 55 percent.
http://www.heritage.com/articles/2010/11/13/heritagewest/news/doc4cd96c1618bde566882681.txt?viewmode=default