Obama's 'Fix it First' Program Highlights Failing Bridges in U.S., Area

President Barack Obama proposed Tuesday night a "Fix It First" program to address the nation's crumbling infrastructure—like roads and bridges—in an effort to improve citizens' quality of life and bring jobs to the United States.

There are nearly 70,000 "structurally deficient" bridges throughout the United States that require "significant maintenance, rehabilitation or replacement," according to the Transportation for America website. 

In Illinois, 8.5 percent of the state's bridges are "structurally deficient." The state is ranked 35th worst nationally for the overall quality of its bridges, according to the Transportation for America website. 

Locally, there are a handful of bridges that are highlighted as structurally deficient on the Transportation for America website. The good news is that many of the more heavily traveled bridges that fit that criteria have been fixed or will be fixed soon, according to information gathered by Patch.com. 

Below is information on some of those bridges and culverts: 

• The Coffin Road bridge crossing Buffalo Creek in Buffalo Grove. The structure was built in 1925, and approximately 759 cars pass over it per day.
• Arlington Heights Road northbound crossing Buffalo Creek in Buffalo Grove. This bridge is scheduled to be replaced later this year. It was built in 1969 and approximately 12,750 cars travel over the bridge per day.
• Dundee crossing wheeling drainage ditch in Wheeling. The bridge was built in 1900 with 19,400 cars traveling across it per day.  

Tell us in the comments' section: Which bridges and roads do you think NEED to be fixed in the area?