DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A decade after a deadly freeway bridge collapse in Minneapolis, a study has found that thousands of Iowa’s bridges are deemed structurally deficient. The Des Moines Register reports that a study released in February by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association found that almost 5,000 of the state’s more than 24,000 bridges are rated as structurally deficient. That means one of the bridge’s key elements – such as the deck, superstructure or substructure- is in poor or worse condition. Most of those bridges are in rural areas and farming communities that see relatively low traffic.

State officials say a 10-cent-per-gallon state fuel tax increase enacted in 2015 will help fund improvements. The tax generates about $200 million for state and local road and bridge projects.