The tragic bridge collapse in Minneapolis last month will surely focus the nation’s attention on the woeful state of our nation’s infrastructure, at least temporarily. While the investigations and reports will continue well into the next several years, many people are surprised to learn that according to the most recent bridge inspection report written in June 2006, the bridge was described as "structurally deficient."

In fact, according to the Reason Foundation (www.reason.org), a nonprofit think tank that produces public policy research on a variety of issues, of the 596,980 highway bridges in the current National Bridge Inventory, 147,913—24.52 percent —were reported deficient in 2005. According to the organization’s Annual Highway Performance Report released in June, there are 36 states where at least 20 percent of the bridges are deficient, and 48 states where at least 10 percent of bridges are deficient. Furthermore, the organization’s study finds that at the current rate of repair it will take 50 years to fix today’s deficient bridges.

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Report Card for America’s Infrastructure (www.asce.org/reportcard) advocates a more aggressive approach to repairs, yet estimates that it will cost $9.4 billion per year for 20 years to eliminate all bridge deficiencies. The annual investment required to prevent the bridge investment backlog from increasing is estimated at $7.3 billion.

Civil engineers—including structural and bridge engineers—are not necessarily surprised by the large numbers of existing "structurally deficient" bridges or the high price tag for repairs quoted by the media because we are acutely aware of the deteriorating infrastructure crisis. For me to tell you that we need to take immediate action to repair and improve our nation’s infrastructure is "preaching to the choir," but what can we do?

Many organizations, including the ASCE, are once again sounding the rallying cry for engineers to speak up about civil engineering legislation to those who have the power to affect change. For the most part, that means lobbying our elected political leaders. (To contact your Representative or Senator visit www.house.gov and www.sentate.gov.) And while I agree that writing to Congress is a necessary and good step to take, it is clearly not enough.

I advocate a simpler, yet perhaps equally as effective approach. Educate those around you—family members, friends, neighbors—about our infrastructure, why it is deteriorating, and what the media sound bytes mean. Then, encourage them to understand why we need to act swiftly to remedy it.

To begin with, non-engineers would be interested to learn that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS, www.bts.gov), one-half of all bridges in the United States were built before 1964. Interstate Highway System bridges, which were primarily constructed in the 1960s, are of special concern because they are, on average, 35 to 40 years old and approaching a 50-year service life. The age of this network is partially the reason for the high percentage of deficient bridges and the large existing backlog in the system.

Furthermore, you could explain what "structurally deficient" means when used to describe a bridge. The BTS defines structurally deficient bridges as those that are restricted to light vehicles, require immediate rehabilitation to remain open, or are closed. While not necessarily unsafe, a structurally deficient bridge is closed or restricted to light vehicles because of its deteriorated structural components.

Once people understand the issues, it may be easier to keep the problem on their minds and encourage action. I hope you already wrote to your Congressman, and I encourage you to educate others so that they will write, too.