Bridging the Future: States Make Strides in Infrastructure Development

In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is now the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This legislation addressed the need to upgrade infrastructure that was overdue for improvement.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was intended to:

• Rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails
• Expand access to clean drinking water
• Ensure every American has access to high-speed internet’ tackle the climate crisis
• Advance environmental justice
• Invest in communities too often left behind.

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance continues to identify examples of states across the U.S. taking advantage of this funding opportunity to update their aging infrastructure.

Bridges Infrastructure Continues to Improve

There have been many recent examples of innovative bridge construction projects across the U.S., including Barron County installation of Wisconsin’s first steel press-brake formed tub girder bridge.

The latest update comes from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul who recently announced that more than 2,800 bridges were replaced or improved in 2023. These projects represented more than $2.4 billion investment in New York’s roads and bridges and reflect the governor’s commitment to improving New York’s infrastructure. NYDOT replaced or improved 2,833 bridges statewide, totaling a nearly $1.7 billion investment.

The governor’s goals include:

• Enhancing safety
• Improve sustainability
• Reconnecting communities
• Promoting growth
• Enhancing resiliency against climate change

“During this construction season, we put the pedal to the metal on our record-setting efforts to modernize New York’s transportation network and improve travel all across the state,” said Governor Hochul. “These paving and bridge projects will provide motorists in every corner of this state with a smoother ride while also helping to ensure that our transportation network can be among the most resilient and sustainable in the nation.”

As We Continue to Invest…Why Not Steel?

As bridge owners and designers consider the numerous infrastructure-related projects that will be funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, they should ask themselves if steel is the right material to them to specify.

Bridge officials who take a holistic approach to design that includes economy, sustainability, resiliency and durability know that steel provides a viable solution for these projects.

Steel solutions provide:

• Cost savings that can be significant: smaller abutments, use of local crews, fast installation, lighter equipment – when added up, steel provides significant cost savings.
• A durable and nonporous material, steel provides value and a significant return on investment with bridges that last more than 100 years with minimal maintenance requirements during their service lives.
• Steel’s high strength permits longer spans, minimizing disruption to underlying habitats. In some cases, this can eliminate the need to undertake costly environmental impact studies.
• Steel from a disassembled bridge can be used again for another project. Steel is the most recycled material on the planet and can be recycled continuously without losing its strength.

SSSBA is Here to Help!

The American steel industry is able to meet the demand challenges and opportunities generated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) provides tools, expertise and educational resources to convert plans into projects.

For more information, please explore the SSSBA website or contact Dustin Young at dyoung@steel.org.