While the number of deficient bridges in Pennsylvania continues to go down, the Keystone State still has a higher percentage of spans that need repairs than most other states, writes Jonathan D. Salant for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

A new analysis of federal records shows that Pennsylvania has the sixth-largest percentage of deficient bridges in the nation.

According to new Federal Highway Administration data, over one in ten bridges in the state have at least one part that is in poor condition. This means that repairs on the bridge will be needed sooner rather than later.

The analysis rated 3,022 out of 23,257 bridges (13 percent) as deficient, which is a decrease from 13.4 percent a year ago.

“While it is good news to see that the percentage of [Pennsylvania] bridges rated in poor condition is declining, there is still much room for improvement,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs for AAA East Central.

“We are moving in the right direction but lawmakers should continue to prioritize roadway safety.”

Read more about the Pennsylvania bridges in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

3,000 bridges in the Keystone State listed in ‘poor condition.’