Equitable Prioritization of Bridge Rehabilitation Projects Using a Spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Support Framework

Abstract

Transportation infrastructure in the United States faces a significant challenge with more than 40% of bridges surpassing the 50-year mark and 25% requiring rehabilitation, repair, or total replacement. This aging infrastructure, compounded by budget constraints, presents a critical issue that necessitates the prioritization of bridge rehabilitation projects. While traditional prioritization has focused on structural and traffic conditions, the pressing need to address social equity and environmental justice (SEEJ) concerns highlights the importance of a new approach. To address this need, this study aims to incorporate SEEJ considerations into the process of prioritizing bridge rehabilitation projects. To do so, a spatial multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method was leveraged to integrate diverse criteria into a coherent bridge rehabilitation prioritization framework. This framework integrates spatial data, encompassing flood-related factors, social aspects, and environmental parameters, with datasets representing structural and traffic conditions of bridges. This amalgamation yields an integrated vulnerability map that assigns vulnerability levels (from very high to very low) to each bridge that can be used as a proxy for prioritization. The practicality of the framework is demonstrated through its application in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The results underscore the importance of SEEJ considerations in bridge rehabilitation to address vulnerabilities, especially within marginalized communities. The proposed framework is adjustable and leverages readily available data, rendering it applicable beyond the study area. The framework can be used as a practical tool by decision makers, such as state Departments of Transportation, to prioritize bridge rehabilitation projects equitably, enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure, and promote inclusive and sustainable communities.