State behind in fixing high-use structurally deficient bridges

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It was a year ago tomorrow when a freeway bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, killing 13 people.

While it spurred promises of bridge repairs nationwide, the Associated Press says little has been done.

The AP reviewed each state’s 20 busiest bridges with structural deficiencies and only 12 percent of those bridges have been fixed.

In Wisconsin, just six of the 20 most traveled structurally-deficient bridges were repaired, and 13 have had nothing more than routine maintenance.

Half of the unrepaired bridges were in Milwaukee County. The others are in Dane, Columbia, Waukesha, Winnebago and Eau Claire counties

Beth Cannestra of the state Department of Transportation says 10 of those 14 bridges will get repairs in the coming years.

She says Wisconsin has a strong inspection program, something confirmed in a state audit a few months ago.

The Minneapolis incident also spurred emergency repairs on two bridges between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Rusted-out gusset plates are being fixed on the Mississippi River bridge at Winona, Minn., and plates were shored up on the Blatnik Bridge between Superior and Duluth.

Tags: wisconsin news, deficient, bridges