A New York Times article ("Extreme Weather is Increasing Risk of Collapse for U.S. Bridges,") writes that extreme weather is putting U.S. bridges under greater pressure, with extreme heat and increased flooding adding stress to bridges already at risk due to aging. These bridges, the article writes, were not designed to withstand the "swelling and contracting" that results from extreme temperature swings. Increased flooding is also eroding the sediment that supports these bridges, which is a major cause of bridge failure.
The 2021 infrastructure bill has provided significant funds to support bridge renovation, but desiging climate-resilient bridges is expensive. The article notes that it is costing Vermont--a state facing significant challenges with its bridges--an additional 30 to 40 percent to build more flood-resistant bridges. The article also reports that bridges in "the Northern Rockies and Plains, the upper Midwest, the Ohio Valley and the South" face the greatest vulnerability.