Nearly 400 Nova Scotia bridges corroding, crumbling, database says

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s bridges are corroding and crumbling to the point where 391 of those inspected were listed as having serious damage including missing concrete, says a provincial database. Chief highway engineer Bruce Fitzner says the decline of bridges has reached the point where the government might consider closing smaller crossings that aren’t frequently used. Using the freedom- of- information law, The Canadian Press obtained 3,021 inspection reports done on bridges in 2012, the last year where records are complete. An analysis of the data from those reports shows 13 per cent of the bridges inspected were in poor or worse shape. The database is based on preliminary and advanced inspections of the bridges. Bridges in poor condition were those that had advanced section loss, pieces of concrete falling off and structure that was worn away by water and sediment, the database says. Those considered in serious shape – a worse ranking than poor – had various forms of erosion and crumbling that affected primary structural components. Fitzner said smaller bridges could be closed by the Transportation Department. “We talk about the long- term deficit. It has to be addressed at some point or infrastructure comes out of service,” he said in an interview. “It’s a huge challenge.” The percentage of bridges in poor or worse condition grew gradually from a little less than 11 per cent in 2010, while those listed in good or better shape fell from 54.6 per cent to 53.3 per cent during three years, the database says. A little less than half of the province’s 4,310 bridges are more than 50 years old, Fitzner said. He said the bridges remain safe, in part because when they are too deteriorated they are either closed or a new maximum weight is posted. Fifty- three bridges are on a five- year replacement or repair list, he added. The database does not say how many bridges have been closed. Fitzner said tight budgets mean many of those listed as poor or worse will have to wait for repairs as the province’s salty air takes its toll. “You start losing the metal to oxidation,” he said. “If you have a very rigorous painting program you keep that section loss from happening, and in a lot of cases we aren’t doing that as much as we should be doing it.” Partial results released for last year show 3,950 bridge inspection reports were done, but 527 of those are incomplete, the database says. Of those that are complete, 344 were ranked poor or worse.