Graves Speaks in Defense of Rural Bridges

Press Release

Today, Congressman Sam Graves spoke before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Graves' comments came during the Highways and Transit Subcommittee's "Oversight of the Highway Bridge Program and the National Bridge Inspection Program" hearing.

"The 15 percent dedicated federal funding for off-system bridges is critically important to the Sixth District," Graves said. "Missouri is home to more than 13,000 off-system bridges, of which more than 2,500 are structurally deficient and 1,700 are functionally obsolete. Many of those bridges are located in Northwest Missouri."

Under the current law, 15 percent of federal funds given to states for projects to replace, rehabilitate and perform systematic preventive maintenance on bridges must be used on those located on public roads off the federal interstate system. However, the committee's current draft surface transportation reauthorization proposal effectively eliminates the dedicated funding for off-system bridges.

"Last year I introduced a bipartisan resolution that expresses support for the continuation of funding for the off-system bridge program," Graves added. "These bridges provide safe -- and often times the sole -- transportation routes for school buses, emergency responders, farmers, senior citizens, and small businesses. If Congress eliminates the 15 percent set aside, the roughly 4,200 deficient or inefficient off-system bridges in Missouri would fall further into disrepair. We should not let that happen."

Congress expects to pass a new highway bill as early as next year.

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