Matthew J. Bandelt, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology, joins Steve Adubato to examine bridge infrastructure and safety throughout New Jersey.

There are 6,800 bridges in the state. According to the Department of Transportation, 2541 of those bridges need repair. Steve Adubato asks Professor Bandelt, “Of those bridges needing repair, what is the difference between needing repair, structurally deficient, and really dangerous about to collapse?” Professor Bandelt responds, “Basically, what happens is that every two years, our bridges get inspected. A structurally deficient bridge is inspected by licensed engineers who are hired by the local Authority. It could be the state of New Jersey or a local municipality but those engineers do an assessment of the bridge. If a portion of the bridge that contributes to its main structure, so for example, the superstructure substructure is rated as poor, it can move into one of these categories called structurally deficient.”