The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) reports that the state is dealing with an aging bridge inventory, particularly those built during the Interstate Era from 1958 to 1973. These bridges, now 50 to 65 years old, are highlighted in ODOT's 2024 Bridge Conditions Report, which was presented to the Oregon Transportation Commission last week.
ODOT Director Kris Strickler noted the pressing issue, saying, “Much of our transportation infrastructure is aging and nowhere is this more apparent than with Oregon’s bridges and pavements.” Strickler continued, stating the agency's commitment to preservation owing to the high costs of replacement and a growing backlog of needs due to “the structural revenue issue facing transportation agencies across the nation.” The emphasis is on maintaining the nearly 60% of state bridges built before 1973, a task facing severe funding shortages, as reportd by ODOT.
The report goes into detail about the state of Oregon's bridges, which are primarily in fair condition thanks to ongoing maintenance efforts. However, as any homeowner knows, continuing to pour money into an aging structure can become a less cost-effective process. And with over 1,000 Interstate Era bridges requiring replacement soon, at the current funding rate allowing for only three replacements yearly, Oregonian bridges would need to stand for 900 years, far beyond their intended service life of 75-100 years.
In the face of these challenges, ODOT maintains its focus on both maintenance and preservation. Effective bridge preservation, including tasks like lubricating bearings, sealing concrete, and painting steel, can delay the need for extensive reconstruction. "We continue to focus on maintaining the bridges we have through preservation and maintenance work to ensure our aging bridge inventory remains safe," Strickler told stakeholders in an effort to maintain the integrity of the structures long before serious deterioration sets in.
Notably, seismic readiness is also a key component of the state's bridge strategy, with several projects designed to secure bridges against earthquakes either underway or completed. This includes the Southern Oregon Seismic Bridge Retrofit project, with various phases addressing the seismic vulnerabilities of bridges on I-5 and Oregon 140, and replacements on Oregon 99 showing substantial completion.
ODOT's efforts to bridge the gap between aging infrastructure and future readiness are outlined in full within the 2024 Bridge Conditions Report, available to the public on the Bridge Section website.
