Online Services | Commonwealth Sites | Help | Governor


Bridges in Virginia

Presentation to Commonwealth Transportation Board, Sept. 19, 2007:

PDFs: PDF

Aug. 31, 2007

From Commissioner David S. Ekern, P.E.:

Inspector checks bridge
Inspector checks bridge concrete.

Following the tragic collapse of the I-35 West Bridge in Minneapolis Aug. 1, bridge funding has risen to the forefront of national dialogue. As elsewhere in America, Virginia’s bridge needs exceed the ability to fund all projects. We are working to identify all available federal and state money for bridge improvements in the highly complex transportation funding process. Meanwhile, Virginia’s 20,823 bridges and structures are carefully monitored to ensure they are safe until they need to be replaced or rehabilitated.
More > PDF (PDF, 72 KB)

Also:

Videos requires the free Windows Media Player. Download it here.


Inspectors check underside of bridge
Inspectors check under bridge
using "snooper" truck.

James River Bridge on Interstate 95
The James River Bridge on Interstate 95, one of 12 steel deck truss bridges in Virginia. Replacement of the bridge's deck was completed in 2002.


New Route 100 bridge
The old Route 100 bridge (right) in Wythe County has been replaced and is being removed.

Keeping motorists safe is the focus of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). This includes making certain the commonwealth's bridges and large culverts are safe.

VDOT maintains more than 20,000 bridges and large culverts.

There are no bridges in Virginia exactly like the one that collapsed in Minnesota on Aug. 1, 2007.

Steel deck truss bridges similar in construction to the bridge in Minneapolis were identified following a detailed review of Virginia's structures. Just because a bridge is identified as having similar engineering features to the bridge in Minnesota does not mean there is an imminent safety issue with that bridge.

All the bridges were inspected in the last two years. Several were inspected as recently as May 2007.

VDOT has re-inspected these bridges. Consultants conducted the inspections to act as an independent quality-assurance review.

The consultants are on contract to VDOT to supplement the agency's bridge inspection team.

If a consultant conducted the last inspection of a steel deck truss bridge, a different consultant conducted the new inspection.

The agency also contacted the Richmond Metropolitan Authority to offer assistance in inspecting the bridge on the list that VDOT does not maintain.

As officials in Minnesota determine what caused that incident, VDOT will ensure that lessons learned are implemented in Virginia.

The commonwealth has an aggressive bridge inspection and safety program. In Fiscal Year 2007, VDOT spent approximately $13.5 million on bridge inspections. In Fiscal Year 2008, $16 million has been set aside to inspect bridges.

VDOT has approximately 100 bridge inspectors on staff that conduct between 11,000 and 12,000 inspections each year.

Virginia bridges are inspected in accordance with National Bridge Inspection Standards by qualified inspectors. Inspections are performed at least every two years.

Some bridges are inspected every year or less, depending on factors such as design details and condition of the bridge.

According to federal requirements, 13,000 bridges in the commonwealth are required to be inspected on a regular basis. VDOT exceeds federal requirements by inspecting an additional 7,000 structures.

Of the state's 20,000 structures, 10 percent are rated as “structurally deficient,” although this does not mean there is an imminent safety issue.

The FHWA says the term "structurally deficient" means the bridge must be monitored, inspected and maintained. According to the FHWA Web site, the fact that a bridge is "deficient" does not imply that it is likely to collapse or that it is unsafe.

links from FHWA:

Other links



Page last modified: Thursday, May 15, 2008