{"id":9447,"date":"2025-06-13T19:59:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T19:59:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/?p=9447"},"modified":"2025-06-13T20:00:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T20:00:15","slug":"america-aging-bridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/2025\/06\/13\/america-aging-bridges\/","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s Aging Bridges: A Case for Smarter Reinforcement"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<em>What the 2025 Bridge Report Card reveals\u2014and how we can build better for the next century.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/infrastructurereportcard.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2025 Report Card for America\u2019s Infrastructure<\/a> on Bridges, recently released by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), paints a sobering picture of the nation\u2019s structural backbone:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">Over 220,000 bridges need repair or replacement<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">45% of U.S. bridges are more than 50 years old<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">Corrosion and maintenance-related degradation continue to accelerate across the U.S. and bridge network<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The infrastructure is aging\u2014and for much of it, the materials selected decades ago are no longer holding up.<\/p>\n<p>As public agencies and departments of transportation (DOTs) respond to increased federal infrastructure funding and new design mandates, <strong>there\u2019s a critical opportunity (and responsibility) to rethink how we reinforce.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>4 Takeaways From the 2025 Bridge Report Card <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>We read through the entire ASCE Report &#8211; here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. America\u2019s Bridges Are Aging Fast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The ASCE Report states that <strong>\u201capproximately 45% of bridges have exceeded their planned design lives of 50 years.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many are structurally sound\u2014for now\u2014but time is catching up, and maintenance needs are compounding.<\/p>\n<p><em><u>How Mateenbar<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> Helps<\/u><\/em> &#8211; We offer a long-term reinforcement solution: GFRP (Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer) rebar that resists environmental degradation and is engineered for a 100-year design life.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5589\" src=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-300x172.jpg\" alt=\"Wide view of a fiberglass rebar bridge project\" width=\"600\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-1024x587.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px-600x344.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/1_Hero_harkers-island-bridge_1885-x-1080px.jpg 1885w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>2. Corrosion Is the #1 Culprit<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>About a third of the nation\u2019s bridge inventory (221,791 spans) needs repair work or replacement, according to the ASCE Report.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/2025\/05\/12\/rebar-corrosion-in-concrete\/\">Rebar corrosion <\/a>is a major reason why.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/compared-to-steel\/\">Steel reinforcement<\/a>, the primary reinforcing material used on bridges, deteriorates from moisture, deicing salts, and chloride exposure\u2014especially in marine and cold-weather regions. This leads to cracking, spalling, and costly repairs.<\/p>\n<p><em><u>How Mateenbar<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> Helps<\/u><\/em> &#8211; Our fiberglass rebar (GFRP) is 100% corrosion-free. It eliminates the root cause of many bridge failures and dramatically reduces long-term maintenance demands.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. We Need Smarter, Longer-Lasting Materials<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to the ASCE Report, one of the recommendations to improve the state of America\u2019s bridges is to <strong>\u201cfund research into innovative technologies, materials, and construction techniques to extend and preserve the life of bridges.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Innovative design strategies, materials (like Mateenbar\u2019s<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> GFRP rebar), and technologies are increasingly being embraced by engineers to build stronger, more secure bridges.<\/p>\n<p><em><u>How Mateenbar<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> Helps<\/u><\/em> &#8211; Mateenbar<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> GFRP rebar is supported by ASTM, ACI, and AASHTO specifications. It\u2019s fully <a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/baba\/\">BABA compliant<\/a>, manufactured in the USA, and already in use across dozens of U.S. states and several global markets.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Limited Resources and Competing Priorities<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Even with increased infrastructure funding, many agencies face limited budgets, short timelines, and logistical challenges.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The ASCE Report cited the collapse of Pittsburgh\u2019s Fern Hollow Bridge as a cautionary tale<\/strong> of what can happen when there are lapses in maintenance and oversight by multiple agencies, which is what the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) cited as the reason for the bridge\u2019s collapse.<\/p>\n<p>These realities often result in reactive maintenance strategies instead of long-term planning.<\/p>\n<p><em><u>How Mateenbar<strong>\u00ae<\/strong> Helps<\/u><\/em> &#8211; Because GFRP eliminates corrosion and reduces ongoing maintenance needs, it allows asset owners to build once and allocate time, money, and resources more efficiently across their entire network. It\u2019s a smarter investment in performance\u2014and in operational capacity.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5248\" src=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"Construction workers installing fiberglass rebar on a bridge project\" width=\"600\" height=\"425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8-1024x725.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8-768x544.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8-600x425.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Artboard-8.jpg 1084w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>The Mindset Toward Concrete Reinforcement Is Shifting<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At Mateenbar\u00ae, we\u2019ve seen firsthand how the industry mindset toward concrete reinforcement is beginning to shift.<\/p>\n<p>Engineers, architects, and contractors across the U.S.\u2014and around the world\u2014are increasingly embracing non-corrosive, code-compliant reinforcement for smarter bridge design.<\/p>\n<p>Mateenbar\u00ae GFRP has been specified in bridge projects across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond, and it\u2019s built to meet today\u2019s environmental and performance challenges head-on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here are examples of two award-winning U.S. bridge projects that incorporated GFRP as the primary reinforcement material:<br \/>\n<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/2024\/12\/10\/harkers-island-bridge-replacement\/\"><em><u>Harkers Island Bridge, North Carolina<\/u><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">The longest bridge in the world built entirely without steel reinforcement<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">Mateenbar\u00ae fiberglass rebar was used to eliminate corrosion risk in a chloride-heavy, coastal environment<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">2025 PCI Design Award winner<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9451 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/harkers-island-bridge.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of Harkers Island Bridge in North Carolina\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/harkers-island-bridge.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/06\/harkers-island-bridge-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Photo courtesy of Dylan Ray via Coastal Review.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/2025\/04\/03\/liberty-bridge-construction-usa\/\"><em><u>Liberty Bridge Project, USA<\/u><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">Used Mateenbar\u00ae GFRP to support long-term performance and corrosion resistance<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: black;\">Recognized by ACEC Ohio for engineering excellence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8859\" src=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-300x172.jpg\" alt=\"A bridge over the water\" width=\"600\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-1024x587.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-1536x880.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner-600x344.jpg 600w, https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/4_Odot-Page-banner.jpg 1885w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Photo courtesy of David Patch | The Blade.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Want to Learn More About Mateenbar\u2019s\u00ae GFRP for Bridge Projects?<sup style=\"font-size: 15%; vertical-align: super;\">\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The 2025 ASCE Bridge Report highlighted a problem that must be addressed before it compounds.<\/p>\n<p>One final data point to drive the urgency of action, courtesy of the ASCE Report: \u201cBetween 2014 and 2023, about 4,927 bridges per year were replaced. At that rate, bridges built today will need to last 126 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Although the 2025 Bridge Report Card showed improvement over last year, <strong>it\u2019s clear from the data that continued investment is needed to strengthen America\u2019s aging bridge system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we\u2019ve learned that maintaining the status quo on reinforcing materials will continue to result in bridges that are inadequate for long-term public safety.<\/p>\n<p>We at Mateenbar\u00ae are determined to get in front of America\u2019s growing infrastructure crisis with reinforcement solutions that have proven to double the lifespan of key transportation infrastructure while significantly decreasing maintenance costs.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>To learn more about our structural GFRP rebar, ideal for large infrastructure projects like bridges, read through our <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/mateenbar-60\/\"><strong>Mateenbar60\u2122 page<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nearly half of U.S. bridges are over 50 years old. Discover what the 2025 Bridge Report reveals\u2014and how innovative reinforcement can change the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6835,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[106,19],"tags":[107],"class_list":["post-9447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-corrosion","category-electricity","tag-corrosion"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/01\/Artboard-1-2.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9447"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9464,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447\/revisions\/9464"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mateenbar.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}