Analysis shows Oregon bridges are mostly in fair condition

By KHUSHBOO RATHORE/Oregon Journalism Project

As lawmakers search for a funding solution for the Oregon Department of Transportation, an Oregon Journalism Project analysis of Oregon bridge data shows that only 6% of the state’s bridges are in poor condition.

Of the 7,183 Oregon bridges used by motor vehicles, 425 are classified as “poor,” meaning part of the bridge has significant damage or deterioration and needs to be repaired.

Nationally, Oregon ranks 17th in the nation for bridges that are structurally stable, according to a report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

Of the state’s 36 counties, Linn County has the highest rate of poor bridges, about one in five, or nearly 19%. A bridge classified as poor doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unsafe, according to Amy Ramsdell, Linn County roadmaster. 

“A significant portion of our bridges are made from timber versus steel,” Ramsdell wrote in an email to OJP. “This component results in a lower score.”

Nearly all bridges in the state are maintained by a mix of local governments and the state. The majority of funding comes from the state’s local agency bridge program, which amounts to $69 million for repairs in the upcoming State Transportation Improvement Program. 

About two-thirds of Oregon’s state, county and city bridges are in “fair” condition, meaning they are not in imminent need of repairs. Bridge condition is determined by the lowest rating ODOT inspectors assign to a bridge’s four key components: deck, superstructure, substructure and culvert. Condition and cost help ODOT and local agencies decide which bridges need repairs first to keep Oregonians safe. 

Benton County has the second-highest rate of poor quality bridges, at 12.4%. 

Benton County Commissioner Nancy Wyse says the state’s local bridge fund doesn’t have enough money to fix all 22 of her county’s poor condition bridges. 

“There either needs to be more money or things just won’t get fixed,” she adds.

Wyse is co-chair of the Oregon Association of Counties’ transportation committee. Counties are responsible for more bridges than ODOT and Oregon cities combined. 

The past few months have been a “roller coaster,” Wyse says. Democratic lawmakers failed to pass an ODOT funding bill, then passed one in an extended special session ordered by Gov. Tina Kotek. Kotek said last week she prefers to repeal the new law in the February session rather than fight a losing battle to pass it on the November ballot. Legislative leaders have not said what they plan to do about the law. 

Wyse says the legislative machinations around the ODOT budget have focused too much on politics and not enough on road and bridge safety. “That wasn’t really a service for anybody in Oregon,” she says. 

People in cities and counties often have to endure years of bridges in rough condition because their jurisdictions can only apply for ODOT funding every three years, but the agency doesn’t transmit the money until after the end of the three-year period. This means that a city that applies for money in 2023 won’t be given funding until the 2027–2030 State Transportation Improvement Program. 

Meanwhile, for people who live near bridges or farmers who drive heavier trucks, a closed or weight-limited bridge can be a huge impediment.

“Even wildfire response out in forested areas,” Wyse says, “if you can’t get people through for evacuation, or water tender trucks, that can be an issue.”

• The Oregon Journalism Project is a nonprofit news initiative whose goal is to inform, engage, and empower Oregonians.