Ohio Infrastructure | Graphic by Rose Taylor | The Wright State Guardian
The recent collapse of the Baltimore Bridge has raised several concerns for Ohioans regarding the safety of bridges in the area. How well is the Dayton area ensuring the safety of local infrastructure?
The plague of bridge collapses
The Francis Scott Key Bridge’s collapse in Baltimore—where, according to the Associated Press, six construction workers plunged into the waters and four bodies were later recovered—along with many bridges that have collapsed in Ohio have caused people to question the stability of the state’s infrastructure.
Ohio is filled with old bridges dating back to the 1800s. Some historic bridges are no longer in use or have been preserved for bikers and pedestrians. Still, a large number of Ohio bridges remain active, with motorists crossing over the historic pass-overs daily.
The recent and fatal accident in Baltimore, combined with the resurfacing news of tragic collapses in the past, such as Silver Bridge in Gallipolis, Ohio, is enough cause for concern to citizens.
An emphasis on safety precautions is being stressed to ensure the safety and preservation of the infrastructure in Ohio and the rest of the United States.
Local infrastructure & Dayton’s budget
The city of Dayton is home to 245 bridges, some dating back to 1930, according to city data. While restoring and performing maintenance on the bridges as needed is ideal, this process is costly.
The Ohio Department of Transportation performs maintenance on many infrastructure projects throughout Dayton and other Montgomery County areas each year.
Currently, ODOT has nine bridge projects that have been proposed to be replaced, rehabilitated or undergo maintenance in the Montgomery County area.
These nine projects included the rehabilitation of one or more bridges for each project. The cost of each proposal ranges from $290,000 to $2,800,000, all funded by ODOT.
On a more local level, the Dayton government addresses issues and concerns regarding bridge safety and possible maintenance or restoration needed on the city’s infrastructure.
Dayton’s budget allocates money each year specifically for infrastructure, which includes the upkeep of bridges, roads and other facilities.
Allocation of these funds provides the community with safe, drivable roads and walkable paths, as well as peace of mind.
The yearly budget policy in 2024 had an objective to invest, maintain and improve the city’s public assets while promoting development, public safety and community value.
The infrastructure expenditures in 2023 were $85,067,363, which was an increase in comparison to 2022’s expenditures of $71,286,867. For 2024, the city manager recommended a budget of $118,643,200, which is a significant increase from the previous year.
The city manager’s proposed budget emphasizes the city’s commitment to continued improvement and safety for citizens.
David Escobar, the senior engineer for the city of Dayton, ensured that general upkeep is a regular practice, and the city puts money into infrastructure for the safety of others.
The upkeep performed on Dayton bridges is a costly but beneficial endeavor.
“The city of Dayton does not currently own any bridges in poor condition or worse. Over the past 20 years, the city of Dayton has spent over $50 million in order to replace over a dozen bridges in poor condition or worse,” Escobar said.
Dayton’s mission for safety
Preservation is key to respecting landmarks and keeping the history that comes with the infrastructure. Preserving historic sights remains important but means not forgetting the safety precautions that must be taken into account as well.
Dayton’s 2024 budget proposed policy outlined the “Equity and Inclusion Strategy” for this year, which outlines the goals of the Public Works department.
The strategy included city-wide goals, such as continually improving infrastructure in targeted geographical neighborhoods, removing blight situations and hazardous trees from areas and regularly inspecting facilities.
Escobar stated that inspections on Dayton’s bridges most often are carried out once a year but have a minimum inspection requirement of once every two years. Any key findings during inspections are passed along to appropriate departments to do maintenance.
Dayton’s commitment to the improvement of bridges and roads carried out through strict inspection and funding displays the dedication the city has to citizens living a safe life.
