Shapiro Administration Gets Stuff Done: Pennsylvania Repaired More Poor-Condition Bridges Than Any Other State Last Year

​The Commonwealth saw a larger drop in the number of poor-condition bridges from 2023 to 2024 than any state in the nation

Progress continues in 2024 - with PennDOT advancing projects for over 300 bridges this year - improving the reliability of the Commonwealth's bridges and traffic flow to help Pennsylvanians get to their destination quickly and safely

Harrisburg, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)Secretary Mike Carroll announced that Pennsylvania repaired the most poor-condition bridges of any state last year, according to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data, and continues to make significant progress in 2024.

According to the FHWA, in 2023, Pennsylvania - including PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and other bridge owners - repaired or replaced more than 200 bridges of at least 20 feet in length, resulting in 90 fewer bridges rated in poor-condition - the largest improvement of any state in the country. The Shapiro Administration is continuing its focus on infrastructure and has advanced projects for over 300 state and locally owned bridges so far in 2024.
PennDOT has been making steady progress to repair the Commonwealth's bridges for years. In 2008, Pennsylvania had more than 6,000 state-owned bridges classified as in poor condition - but since then, PennDOT has successfully repaired or replaced more than 3,000 bridges, and the pace of those repairs is accelerating after Governor Shapiro secured additional infrastructure funding in his first two budgets. This year alone, PennDOT has improved over 3,100 miles of roadway, including 1,100 miles of paving, and advanced projects to improve or replace 303 state and locally owned bridges this year, aimed at strengthening the state's critical infrastructure.

"Infrastructure is critical to our Commonwealth's progress, and our ability to complete major projects is key to spurring economic growth and creating real opportunity," said Governor Shapiro. "Investing in and improving our infrastructure is a commonsense way to spur economic development, create jobs, and help Pennsylvanians reach their destinations safely and efficiently. These improvements will help our communities grow as we continue working together to move Pennsylvania forward."

Last month, Governor Shapiroannounced a significant investment of over $51 million in funding from the Multimodal Transportation Fund to support 66 crucial transportation projects across 32 counties in Pennsylvania. The funding will be allocated towards highway, bridge, aviation, ports, and bike and pedestrian initiatives - ensuring a safe and reliable transportation system for all Pennsylvanians. The Commonwealth is home to one of the largest state-maintained road and bridge networks in the nation.

"Maintaining this network is a monumental task, and while funding challenges persist, we are proud of the measurable progress in improving bridge conditions across the state," said Secretary Carroll. "Our goal remains clear - ensuring that Pennsylvania's bridges and roads are safe, reliable, and built for the future."

"We are grateful to our partners, including our contractors and designers, who help us provide the Commonwealth with a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce," said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "Investing in our infrastructure, and specifically our bridges, is critical to providing a safer driving environment for motorists, highway workers, and first responders. We are pleased to continue that trend going forward through total reconstruction of the PA Turnpike, including the replacement of key bridges at Beaver River and Hawk Falls."

The 2024-25 bipartisan budget signed by Governor Shapiro this summer allocates $80.5 million in new funding to repair roads and bridges and continues to sustainably fund the Pennsylvania State Police by reducing their reliance on the Motor License Fund. This delivers an additional $125 million for road and bridge projects annually over the next four years - on top of the $125 million the Governor secured in the 2023-24 budget. In total, Governor Shapiro has secured over $300 million in new infrastructure funding to maintain Pennsylvania's roads and bridges.

Additionally, the Shapiro Administrationsecured the largest federal transportation grant received in Pennsylvania for the I-83 South Bridge in Harrisburg. The $500 million Large Bridge Project grant through the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program will help replace the I-83 South Bridge, which connects downtown Harrisburg in Dauphin County to the west shore in Cumberland County. The bridge currently carries more than 125,000 vehicles over the Susquehanna River every day, 15 percent of which is truck traffic.

"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been a game-changing investment in America's infrastructure, and we've been hard at work putting these funds to good use in projects across Pennsylvania," said Secretary Carroll. "We're ensuring that Pennsylvanians can rely on safe, modern infrastructure now and in the future."

For more information on PennDOT's ongoing infrastructure projects, visit penndot.pa.gov. Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts at penndot.pa.gov/news or choose a region under Regional Offices.

Information about the state's infrastructure and results PennDOT is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at projects.penndot.gov.

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