A new report says more than half of Arizona’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition and nearly 1,000 of the state’s bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
The American Society of Civil Engineers rates the nation’s infrastructure every four years.
Engineers evaluate conditions and improvement needs for roads, bridges, drinking-water systems, ports, mass transit and the electric grid.
The report says of Arizona’s more than 60,000 miles of public roads, 52 percent are in bad shape.
The ASCE says the state’s poor road conditions cost drivers $887 million a year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs.
KTVK-TV (http://bit.ly/ZBEW1Q) says that breaks down to $205 per motorist.
ASCE’s study also shows 247 of Arizona’s bridges are considered to be structurally deficient and 721 are considered functionally obsolete.
• The Associated Press
soricobob posted at 6:23 am on Sat, Mar 23, 2013.
I've noticed that the AZDOT has a few different procedures for repairing bridges (as compared to roads).
1. They close the sidewalk for at least a month prior to any other work, so that those who might use it get use to being inconvenienced. Of course, closing the sidewalk means lowering the posted speed limited to 25, so motorists can start to feel to impact of what is about to take place.
2. The stripes on the road are changed, and "jersey barriers" are put in place, so as to narrow the drive lanes at the same time trucks have no chance of fitting through the lanes.
3. Finally, work begins, but not too fast, because you don't want taxpayers to think this is easy or simple.
4. Finally, when finished, you do #2 and #1 in reverse, over a period of two months, so as the gradually allow motorists to feel the full impact of returning to a good flow of traffic.
5. If you're lucky, you can rip up part of your work, for a cable or sewer you forgot, so as to start the process over again.
6. If planning has gone well, the 2-lane to 3-lane to 1-lane change all takes place within a mile of your work, leaving a future "modernization" on the horizon for you!