Auditor General DeFoor: bridge inspection process shows need for improvements

In an announcement issued July 30, PA Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor highlighted the need for PennDOT to improve its bridge inspection process, especially those bridges rated in overall poor condition or in critical or imminent risk of failing.

“I am here to tell you as an auditor that processes matter,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “It’s important for our safety and the investment of our tax dollars that all bridge inspection reports are consistent, filed on time and the qualifications of the teams doing the inspections are readily available. By implementing the process improvements identified by our auditors, PennDOT can provide consistent reporting that ensures these bridges can be maintained, repaired, and replaced without having a major bridge failure.”

DeFoor said that a bridge rated in overall poor condition does not mean that it is about to fail and that steps need to be taken to repair or replace the bridge, but it can still be used safely while that process is ongoing.

For example, the Matamoras bridge that crosses the Delaware River is a state-owned bridge and was listed as being in poor condition during its most recent inspection. Earlier this year the state allocated $980,000 to help rehabilitate that bridge.

The audit had three objectives:

• Determine the process for inspecting state-owned bridges identified as having the overall condition of poor;

• Evaluate whether PennDOT complied with applicable laws, regulations, standards, policies and procedures, and guidelines regarding inspecting bridges identified as being in an overall condition of poor; and

• Determine and evaluate compliance with PennDOT’s policies and procedures for responding to bridges identified as having the condition rating of “critical,” “imminent failure” and “failed.”

The audit has seven findings and made 24 recommendations. The findings and recommendations focused around ensuring PennDOT consistently followed its policies and procedures regarding the timing, writing, and information included in the bridge inspection reports.

“There is a path forward to correct these issues, and for the most part, PennDOT agreed,” DeFoor said. “PennDOT is working to reduce the number of bridges in poor condition by repairing or replacing them as time and tax dollars allow.”

According to the announcement, Pennsylvania has the third-largest number of bridges in the nation and PennDOT is responsible for the inspection of roughly 25,400 state-owned bridges. State-owned bridges are on average more than 50 years old. During the audit period from July 1, 2020, through May 10, 2023, nearly $1.2 billion dollars of taxpayer dollars were allocated to rehab and replace them.