STATE

2 busy interstate bridges are among the 456 in Florida considered 'deficient.' Here's where they are

Nearly 1,500 bridges in Florida need repair, the FDOT says

C. A. Bridges
USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

Early Tuesday morning, March 26, the 1.6 mile four-lane Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed into the Patapsco River sending cars and construction workers into the water. The bridge had been hit by a large cargo ship.

The tragic event recalled memories of Florida's Sunshine Skyway bridge collapse in 1980, when a freighter struck the bridge and collapsed 1,200 feet of it. Cars and a Greyhound Bus plunged into Tampa Bay and five people were killed.

While it is unknown whether the condition of the bridge played a part, the accident does draw attention to the state of our country's roadways and bridges. In 2020 USA TODAY reported that 7.6% of all the bridges across the country needed replacement or repair. Florida ranks among the best for road and bridge conditions, but we do have bridges in dire need of repair.

What are the busiest, structurally deficient bridges in Florida?

According to the most recent American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) report, these are the top ten most-traveled bridges in Florida that were considered structurally deficient in 2023. Click each one for more details.