Several bridges in the Tampa Bay area are in need of repair, according to a recent national report.
The Federal Highway Administration report classified six bridges in the Tampa Bay area as "structurally deficient." Three of those bridges are in Pinellas County, while one is in Hillsborough and two are in Polk County.
According to Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Kris Carson, once a span receives the designation as "structurally deficient," a plan of action is put into place.
"The words 'structurally deficient' mean that a bridge has to be repaired or replaced within six years," she said.
"Structurally deficient" does not mean unsafe. Carson says Florida's bridges rank No. 1 on a national scale of bridge safety.
All bridges get a National Bridge Inspection rating on a scale of 0 to 9. Those bridges receiving rates of 2 or less must be closed.
In Polk County, the Kraft Road Bridge over the Kraft Canal and the County Line Road Bridge over Peace River both received an NBI rating of 4.
The Kraft Road span was repaired in August. The County Line Road bridge is scheduled for work in the first half of this year, according to Austin Potts, the county's roads and drainage project manager.
"Once the 2016 inspection is conducted, we will re-evaluate the results of the report in relation to these repairs," Potts said.
State officials say there will never be a time when a span is so deficient to be closed to traffic.
Deficient Bridge Spans by County
- Pasco County: none
- Pinellas County: 2
- State Road 679 (Pinellas Bayway) over Boca Ciega Bay
- Nine Street South over Booker Creek
- 10th and 11th avenues S over Booker Creek
- Hillsborough County: 1
- Big Bend Road over Big Bend Drain
- Polk County: 2
- County Line Road over Peace River
- Kraft Road over Kraft Canal
- Manatee County: None