Massachusetts Residents’ Proximity To Bridges

Abstract

The state of infrastructure across the United States has received increasing scrutiny over the past decade. Bridges are of considerable concern because of their critical role in supporting our reliance on vehicular transportation for moving people and goods across short and long distances. As the nation’s stock of bridges ages, a systematic program for preservation and investment is needed. Periodic bridge inspections are conducted to identify and prioritize the rehabilitation of bridges in poor condition; these bridges are referred to as structurally deficient. “While structurally deficient bridges are not inherently unsafe, they require substantial investment in the form of replacement or significant rehabilitation, and they present higher risk for future closure or weight restrictions” (2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure for bridges). The following report offers a deeper understanding of the state of bridges, with a focus on structurally deficient bridges, and their connection to the residents of Massachusetts. It presents an equity analysis to determine if certain populations of people reside closer to bridges with structural deficiency. We consider how minority, low-income, and English-isolated populations fare in comparison to the general population regarding proximity to five different categories of bridges—three structural conditions and two operational conditions.