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Sullivan to Secretary Peters: It is vital that action be taken to address structurally deficient bridges in Oklahoma
Washington, Aug 8 -
Today, Congressman John Sullivan sent the following letter to Mary E. Peters, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, requesting an updated inventory of Oklahoma’s structurally deficient bridges and also a record of which bridges in Oklahoma are eligible for federally funded repairs.
August 8, 2007 Mary E. Peters Dear Secretary Peters, I am writing to request that the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) update the National Bridge Inventory of 2001, and provide me with an updated list of every Oklahoma bridge eligible for federal funding. It is vital that state and federal action must be taken to address structurally deficient bridges in Oklahoma and throughout our nation. The recent, tragic collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) classification of a high number of structurally deficient bridges in Oklahoma, serve as important reminders that our bridges are in need of inspection and in many cases, significant repair. According to the FHWA, Oklahoma is classified as having the highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the nation, 27 percent, while nationwide, only 12.4 percent of bridges are categorized as structurally deficient. This disparity is concerning to me and to all Oklahomans. In addition, according to the FHWA’s 2001 National Bridge Inventory, in my Congressional District alone, 30 bridges are listed as structurally deficient. I request that DOT immediately update this study using the most recent data available, to better identify structurally deficient bridges in my district and state. I understand that DOT alerted all states to inspect bridges similar to the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I appreciate DOT’s prompt response to states with the call to inspect bridges and encourage you to coordinate these inspections with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation where possible. Sincerely, John Sullivan Cc: J. Richard Capka, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration
Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC. 20590
The safety of our bridges is critical to provide for Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure and sustain economic growth. The tragic collapses of the I-35W bridge and I-40 bridge across the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System in 2002 are terrible but preventable incidents that require better coordination by state and federal agencies to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. I look forward to working with you in the near future to ensure the safety of Oklahoma’s bridges.
Member of Congress