Sen. Brown’s federal infrastructure funding bill could help county officials be more proactive on bridge repairs

STRUTHERS — A proposed line of new federal funding to address Ohio's aging bridges is an opportunity for future-proofing, local officials said.

A $1 trillion bipartisan federal infrastructure package, passed by the U.S. Senate last month, could deliver $12 billion to Ohio, some of which could be used to repair or replace some of the 3,263 Ohio bridges now in need of repairs, 1,377 of which are considered structurally deficient, according to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association's latest report.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Cleveland, D-Ohio, spoke Thursday near Struthers' more than 100-year-old State Street Bridge on his Bridge Investment Act, which is included in that package and is expected to direct more federal funding for bridge repairs or replacements while creating new jobs in the steel industry.

"Rebuilding Ohio bridges and infrastructure with American-made steel and products will create jobs and make our communities more competitive," Brown is quoted in a release. "Bridges like the State Street Bridge and more than 3,200 other bridges across Ohio need fixing now. This investment in Ohio, combined with my strong Buy America provisions, is a recipe for job creation in every region of our state."

Most of the $12 billion in infrastructure dollars would be formulaically distributed throughout the state by the Ohio Department of Transportation, Brown said. Officials seeking funding for bridge repairs or replacements could seek competitive grants also administered by ODOT, he said.

The House is expected to vote on the bill later this month. Brown said Thursday he expects it will pass and reach President Joe Biden's desk by late October.

Though Struthers' State Street Bridge, one of six bridges in the city, is currently in need of repairs, it's not considered to be structurally deficient, city Mayor Catherine Cercone-Miller told Mahoning Matters. She sees Brown's bill as a means to future-proof the infrastructure that drives the city's economy.

"This legislation just ensures that we have an avenue and a way to go after money if we need to," she told Mahoning Matters Thursday. "This bill will help us gear more toward the future."

City officials would first focus on the city's downtown bridge, to "alleviate safety concerns and assist with necessary economic development," Cercone-Miller is quoted in a news release from Brown's office.

Mahoning County's "biggest issue" is roadway infrastructure, said county Engineer and Struthers native Pat Ginnetti. It's the reason county officials this election cycle are asking for a new, five-year quarter-percent sales tax for new road work, revenues from which could also go toward bridge work.

County bridges in need of repairs are often identified 10 to 12 years before they become "critical," he said.

"We want to get it done before that," Ginnetti said.

When seeking state or federal funding for countywide paving programs — which are often scored on metrics like traffic counts or the roadway's remaining lifespan — county officials can include the condition of nearby bridges, possibly making the project more likely to be funded.

"Replacing and repairing a bridge is much more expensive than fixing a pothole. It takes a lot more effort to find the funding," Ginnetti said.

The city's State Street Bridge would in total cost about $850,000 to replace, he said. Though state-administered funding is usually provided within a year of the application, federal funding often takes up to five years, he said.

"I always like to thank [Sen. Brown] because it seems like he always has the Mahoning Valley in his sights," Ginnetti said. "For him to come to my hometown … it's impressive to me that Washington, D.C., knows where Struthers is."

Mahoning County is responsible for about 485 miles of roadway and nearly 300 bridges, five of which have been identified as the most-traveled, structurally deficient bridges in the 13th and 6th U.S. congressional districts, according to ARTBA's most recent report.

Those bridges are located at:

• South Avenue over Youngstown & Southern railroad, which was built in 1957 and is crossed about 9,100 times daily;
• Four Mile Run Road over Four Mile Run, which was built in 1931 and is crossed about 6,000 times daily;
• Raccoon Road over Indian Run Creek, which was built in 1957 and is crossed about 4,300 times daily;
• North Lima Road over Yellow Creek, which was built in 1940 and is crossed about 4,200 times daily;
• And Hopkins Road over Andersons Run, which was built in 1938 and is crossed nearly 3,300 times daily.

This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 3:52 AM with the headline "Sen. Brown’s federal infrastructure funding bill could help county officials be more proactive on bridge repairs."