Economic impact of closing low-volume rural bridges.

PDFTech ReportBridgesLow volume roadsEconomic impactsCostsRepairingRural highwaysKansasKansas. Dept. of TransportationMulinazzi, Thomas E.Fitzsimmons, Eric J.Schrock, Steven D.Roth, RachelUniversity of KansasNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Bridges and StructuresNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Construction and MaintenanceNTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-Economic ImpactsUS Transportation CollectionThe State of Kansas has approximately 25,464 bridges that are located on the state, county andcity roadway network. As the infrastructure in Kansas ages, bridges can become structurallydeficient or functionally obsolete. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) definesa bridge as structurally deficient if an inspector determines the bridge deck, superstructure,substructure, culverts and retaining walls are not able to support today\ue2\u20ac\u2122s federal legalloads (KDOT, 2008). A bridge that is defined as functionally obsolete consists of designcharacteristics, which could include narrow width, inadequate clearance beneath, conditionof the structure, or deficient approaching roadway alignment (KDOT, 2008). Limited researchhas been performed that specifically investigates advantages and/or disadvantages of closinga bridge on a rural low volume road. The objective of this research project was to determinea cost comparison of replacing and/or repairing a rural low volume structurally deficientbridge, versus closing the same bridge and finding the change in vehicle operating cost basedon the proposed driver detour