AISI Op-Ed: Steel is the solution for 'bridging' the gap

A record 60.6 million people are expected to travel by car for the Fourth of July holiday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). And a recent survey by The Vacationer said 75% of Americans intend to take at least one road trip this summer. In short, Americans are hitting the road this season, and probably crossing a short-span steel bridge on their travels.

There are over 281,000 off-system bridges in the US. They are locally owned, typically under 100 feet in length, and are known as short-span bridges. In 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a once-in-a-generation investment to fix the nation’s infrastructure. The law directs nearly $40 billion over five years to repair or replace as many as 15,000 bridges, with states required to use at least 15% of this new money to build these off-system bridges.

Dan Snyder

Dan Snyder is responsible for overseeing the Construction Market programs in commercial buildings, codes and standards, and transportation/infrastructure at AISI. He became vice president of the construction program in May 2023. He has been employed by AISI for 25 years.