U.S. & World

Anniversary Of Minn. Bridge Collapse Renews Focus

Study Finds Promises To Repair U.S. Infrastructure Have Gone Largely Unfulfilled

NEW YORK (CBS) ― The one-year anniversary of the Minnesota bridge collapse is putting renewed focus on the safety of our nation's infrastructure.

A new study finds many of the promises made then still have not been fulfilled, and lack of money is a big factor.

It's been a year since the massive bridge collapse in Minnesota sent 13 drivers plunging to their deaths.

The tragedy triggered nationwide bridge inspections, and promises to fix serious problems.

But a review by the Associated Press finds that only about one in ten bridges with structural defects has been repaired.

The slumping economy is among the reasons for the delay. With drivers cutting back on buying gas, and new car sales sagging, tax repair revenue is also way down.

"The federal government's percentage of infrastructure expenditures in this country has been going down dramatically, and it has been the states and cities that have been picking it up," NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Federal highway officials say that for now they are meeting their commitments, but may have to make cuts if revenues don't increase.

In Brooklyn, along the heavily traveled Belt Parkway, 10 overpasses are listed as structurally deficient.

Pennsylvania has about 6,000 bridges that need fixing.

"We are barely making a dent in the backlog that is facing Pennsylvania's bridges," Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said.

Local leaders say the nation's deteriorating infrastructure is a matter of public safety that must be fixed now, or it will pose a far bigger problem down the road.

State engineers and highway officials say the bridges reviewed by the AP are not in imminent danger of collapse, but they acknowledge that the structures need improvement, many soon rather than later.

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