1 / 12    

States With the Most Structurally Deficient Bridges

America's infrastructure is beginning to show its age. The nation's roads, highways, and bridges have increasingly received failing scores on maintenance and upkeep. The American Society of Civil Engineers has rated the overall infrastructre a "D," with bridges receiving a "C."

Of the country's nearly 600,000 bridges, 11.5 percent are rated "structurally deficient," according to Federal Highway Administration figures. Despite billions of dollars in annual federal, state, and local funds for bridge maintenance, it is estimated that nearly $71 billion is needed to address the backlog of work needed.

Currently, 23 states across the country have a higher percentage of deficient bridges than the national average of 11.5 percent. In fact, the five states with the worst bridge conditions all exceed a 20 percent share of structurally deficient bridges.

Click ahead to see the states with the highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges.

At left: Rescue workers and a dive team work off a barge at the section of the I-35W bridge that collapsed Aug. 13, 2007, in Minneapolis. The eight-lane steel and concrete bridge spanning the Mississippi River near the city's downtown was undergoing repair work when it collapsed during the evening rush hour.

By Constance Parten
Posted: 3 November 2011