Report: 101 Syracuse area bridges rated poor or structurally deficient

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A new report on bridges in Central New York says 12 percent of bridges in the area are in poor or structurally deficient condition.

TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit based in Washington D.C., released a report Wednesday that says of the 875 bridges in the Syracuse are (which is defined as Onondaga, Oswego and Madison counties), 101 have been rated poor/structurally deficient.

A note about TRIP. It is a research group funded by construction companies and other businesses who stand to gain from more government spending on highways and bridges. We requested a list of their contributors and members of their Board of Directors to maximize transparency in our reporting.

Those 101 bridges, which include parts of I-81, I-690 and the New York State Thruway, carry 911,382 vehicles a day, the report says.

"The overall condition of the bridge is determined by the lowest rating for the deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert," the report states. "If the lowest rating for any of these components is less than or equal to four, the bridge is rated poor/structurally deficient; if it is five or six, the bridge is rated fair; and if it is greater than or equal to seven, the bridge is rated good."

Read the entire report below:

[Mobile app users CLICK HERE to read the report]

TRIP officials and others at a news conference in Syracuse Wednesday say "structurally deficient" doesn’t mean it’s unsafe for drivers, it just might mean larger, heavier vehicles may not be able to use that bridge without repairs.

While TRIP is a nonprofit, their website says the group is "a diverse group of stakeholders to achieve sustainable transportation infrastructure funding."

"Sponsored by insurance companies, equipment manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers, businesses involved in highway and transit engineering and construction, labor unions, and organizations concerned with an efficient and safe surface transportation network that promotes economic development and quality of life." - About section on tripnet.org

Below are the 10 most heavily traveled poor/structurally deficient bridges in the Syracuse area, according to the report. Eight of the 10 are in Onondaga County.

1. Syracuse: I-690 bridge over N. Townsend St.

• Built in 1968
• Daily traffic: 68,620
• Status: Open

2. Syracuse: I-690 over N. Clinton St.

• Built in 1968
• Daily traffic: 68,620
• Status: Open

3. Syracuse: I-81 at the junction of I-690 west

• Built in 1968
  
• Daily traffic: 68,620
• Status: Open

4. Geddes: I-690 at I-90 junction

• Built in 1954
• Daily traffic: 55,150
• Status: Open

5. Salina: I-81 at Rt. 11, S. Bay Rd./CR 20

• Built in 1989
• 51,033
• Status: Open

6. Canastota: I-90 over Canastota Creek

• Built in 1953
• Daily traffic: 40,119
• Status: Open

7. Salina: I-90 over CSX RR (near Exit 35)

• Built in 1951
• Daily Traffic: 37.980
• Status: Open

8. Salina: I-90 over Vine St., CR 51*

• Built in 1949
  
• Daily traffic: 37,980
• Status: Open

*In the months since the report was completed at the end of 2018, the Vine Street bridge has undergone construction for repairs. A spokesperson for TRIP says it would likely no longer be included on their list.

9. Oneida: I-90 over N. Lake St.

• Built in 1953
• Daily Traffic: 36,256
• Status: Open

10. Salina: I-90 over Onondaga Park Rd.

• Built in 1954
• Daily traffic: 34,483
• Status: Open

The organizations that own the bridges are responsible for regular inspections, upkeep and maintenance, according to TRIP.