The condition of American bridges has been improving over the last 10 years, with a smaller percentage of structurally deficient bridges in 2016 than there were in 2006, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Still, there's a $123 billion backlog in rehab projects, by the latest estimate. Structurally deficient bridges are not unsafe, but they might only be able to handle traffic under a certain weight or speed, which affects vehicles like school buses and ambulances, and may have to close before significant changes can be made.
| Best 5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Number | D.C.: 9 | Nev.: 31 | Del.: 43 | Hawaii: 64 | Utah: 95 |
| By Percent | Nev.: 1.6% | Tex.: 1.7 | Fla.: 2.1 | Ariz.: 2.6 | Utah: 3.1 |
| Worst 5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Number | Iowa: 4,968 | Pa.: 4,506 | Okla.: 3,460 | Mo.: 3,195 | Neb.: 2,361 |
| By Percent | R.I.: 24.9% | Iowa: 20.5 | Pa.: 19.8 | S.D.: 19.6 | W. Va.: 17.3 |
Source: American Society of Civil Engineers Credit: Jessica Glazer/NBC