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A federal bill that would increase funding for America’s deficient bridges, scheduled for a vote today, could include a proposal by Walz to require the Secretary of Transportation to report to Congress whether a federal-aid bridge is closed because of a critical inspection finding.
The report, which would be due 15 days after a bridge closure, would assess and recommend actions to mitigate the impact of the closure on the local economy and transportation patterns, Walz spokeswoman Meredith Salsbery said.
The amendment isn’t expected to generate much opposition, Salsbery said.
The larger bill is authored by Rep. Jim Oberstar, DFL-Minn. It would authorize $1 billion for more repairs and inspection of 71,000 deficient bridges across the country. Oberstar visited Winona during its bridge closure in June and said the Interstate Bridge is one of more than
600 federal-aid bridges in Minnesota that would be eligible for more funds if the bill becomes law.
If the bill passes, Minnesota would receive about $7.3 million for its deficient bridges. The funds would be allocated to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, which would decide how to use them, Salsbery said.
