Iowa DOT director reassures Iowans
AMES, Iowa – Today, The Transportation Information Program (TRIP) of Washington, D.C. released a report on the condition of Iowa 's bridges. Iowa Department of Transportation Director Nancy Richardson responded to the report by saying, “The report is a fair assessment of the condition of Iowa 's aging infrastructure. But as the report suggests, the federal rating system and terms like ‘structurally deficient' and ‘functionally obsolete' do not mean the bridges are unsafe. They are simply classifications under the federal bridge funding program. Any bridge in the state found to be unsafe would be immediately closed. Iowans should feel confident in the safety of our bridges.”