Bridge Concerns in Muskingum County
As work begins on the Philo bridge, there is a concern about the state of other bridges in Muskingum County.
When a bridge nears failure, the safety of thousands of travelers could be at risk. There are currently 420 open bridges in the county, and Muskingum County Engineer Doug Davis says many are in need of repair — with little money in the budget to do the work,
“Our bridges are ailing, and we cannot replace them as fast as they’re aging,” Davis said. Â “Our local roads are suffering, and our budget is not increasing, it’s actually decreasing.”
Inspections are conducted annually, and Davis says multiple bridges in the county were either repaired or replaced just this year. He tells us with the federal transportation budget lacking, not only will the county see a decline in infrastructure, but the state as well.
“Unfortunately, I believe that we will probably have to close some bridges in our county at some point in time,” Davis said. “We are working everything we can to repair our structures, to keep them open and keep them safe.”
Davis says he will continue to monitor our area’s bridges to ensure they are structurally sound and safe for the public.
