A report issued last month by the state comptroller finds Chautauqua County following a trend when it comes to bridges.

In the report, Thomas DiNapoli noted that one in 10 locally owned bridges in New York is rated in poor condition. The estimated cost for work needed on local bridges in the state in 2023 was approximately $29 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration data.

“Ensuring safe and reliable public infrastructure is an ongoing concern for local governments across the country,” DiNapoli said. “Despite increased funding from the federal and state governments, there is a great deal more work that needs to be done in New York. Local governments need this funding to continue so sorely needed repairs and maintenance are completed.”

As of 2023, New York had 17,573 highway bridges. Local governments, mostly counties, own 50.6% or 8,891 of the state’s bridges.

According to the report, of the 558 Chautauqua County bridges, 46 were found to be in poor condition. Repairs to bring these structures into compliance, DiNapoli’s office noted, would cost more than $185 million. Additionally, 253 structures were listed as fair with 259 listed as good.

Nationwide, 6.8% of bridges were rated in poor condition. Arizona had the smallest percentage of bridges in poor condition with 1.1%, while West Virginia had the largest at 19.7%, according to 2023 Federal Highway Administration data. Overall, 11 states had a higher percentage of bridges in poor condition than New York.

In New York, 9% of all bridges were rated in poor condition in 2023, 2.2 percentage points higher than the national figure, but down slightly from 2017, according to FHWA data.

A total of 81 bridges were closed in 2023, down from 95 in 2017, a 14.7% decrease. The majority were owned by either local governments (56.8%) or the state (37%).

In New York, state and federal funding for local bridge projects often flows through the state Department of Transportation’s Bridge NY program, which has funded more than 800 projects since 2016, with a total investment of almost $1.7 billion, including the latest round of awards announced earlier this month.

Counties, cities, towns and villages, as well as other entities, such as tribal governments and public benefit corporations, can apply for Bridge NY funding.