From an article in the Decatur Times Daily, school buses are being forced to detour around decrepit bridges in the area. The detours incur substantial additional mileage, costing school systems money and resulting in much longer bus rides for students.
In Lauderdale County, detours around the present 20 decrepit bridges cost the school system an additional $340,000 in fuel costs. The average cost of bridge replacement, according to the article, is $125,000. For the price of the extra fuel, nearly three bridges could be upgraded each year. The longer the bridges are left ill-maintained, the more money is wasted. The story is similar in other counties in North Alabama.
The county road engineers claim that there is not enough money to replace ailing bridges with the appropriate frequency. Considering the extra costs to the school systems - not to mention the impediment such bridges pose to economic development - it seems like updating infrastructure should be a top priority.
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