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be regarded as dangerously inadequate. Of all the bridges on the system it has been impossible to determine the load-capacity rating of only 31, of which 19 are on urban, and 12 are on rural sections of the system.

WIDTHS OF BRIDGES

From the foregoing it is apparent that, in respect to load capacity alone, most of the existing bridges on the system are reasonably adequate. Unfortunately, an equally favorable report cannot be made in respect to other features of their design and location.

Photo by Vermont Department of Highways

Large vehicles are forced to straddle the pavement centerline in crossing this narrow bridge with its sharp-curved approaches, on U S Route 5 in Vermont On rural portions of the interstate system alone there are 8,187 bridges of inadequate width.

The most serious deficiency of the existing bridges is their inadequate width. Many are narrower than the existing approach pavements, which themselves are often too narrow. Many more are not wider than the approach pavements, as they should be for equal safety and convenience, whether the pavements are sufficiently wide or not. And a very large number are grossly inadequate in their width for the volume of traffic they carry.