Comptroller: 1 In 7 New York State Bridges Are Structurally Deficient

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Hundreds of bridges across New York are in bad shape, and it is not clear if the money to fix them will be available.

As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, there are thousands of bridges owned by local governments rather than the state, and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said about one in seven is structurally deficient.

DiNapoli said they are "bridges that aren't necessarily unsafe," but they are heading in that direction.

He noted that the total number -- 13 percent -- is a lot.

"Most places around the United States are closer to 10 percent," said Sam Schwartz, former chief engineer at the New York City Department of Transportation. "There's a lot of catch-up to do. It's like having too many people that are sick at the same time. You got to do triage."

So how much will it cost to fix it?

"We estimate $27.4 billion is needed in repairs," DiNapoli said.

That is way too much for the local governments, and even for the state to handle.

"It is worrisome, because we have relied on the federal government a good deal," Schwartz said.

So far, the prospect of a Trump administration infrastructure program has not materialized.