Urban Life

Average Bridge Rating By Municipality

This map shows the average of bridge ratings for most towns in New York State. Some of the towns are lacking data or did not match when I completed the data join yesterday.

In New York State, bridge inspectors assess all of a bridge’s individual parts. They are required to evaluate, assign a condition score, and document the condition of up to 47 structural elements, including rating 25 components of each span of a bridge, in addition to general components common to all bridges. The NYSDOT condition rating scale ranges from 1 to 7, with 7 being in new condition and a rating of 5 or greater considered as good condition.

NYSDOT also computes an overall New York State condition rating for each bridge by combining the ratings of individual components using a weighted average formula. This formula assigns greater weights to the ratings of the bridge elements having the greatest structural importance and lesser weights for minor structural and non-structural elements. If a bridge has multiple spans, each element common to the spans is rated and the lowest individual span element rating is used in the condition rating formula.

NYSDOT defines a deficient bridge as one with a State condition rating less than 5.0. A deficient condition rating indicates deterioration at a level that requires corrective maintenance or rehabilitation to restore the bridge to its fully functional, non-deficient condition. It does not mean that the bridge is unsafe.

https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/bridgedata

Fracture critical bridges in Albany County

Fracture critical bridges in Albany County

There are many fracture critical bridges in Albany County and across the state. While it seems like they are decently well maintain -- it's rare for them to collapse unexpectedly or be red flagged and closed, you got to wonder how safe they are?

Also, at the same time, after seeing non-fracture critical bridge collapse in Pittsburgh, which was a boring rigid-frame bridge, you have to wonder if people's concerns about bridge safety are somewhat misplaced, putting all the fear into fracture critical bridges that have failed in the past like the I-35W bridge in Minnesota or the Silver Bridge in West Virginia and ignoring safety concerns on all other bridges?