When a Wyoming crumbling bridge was failing, engineers turned to the Bailey Bridge concept invented during WW II to replace nearly half the state’s bridges which are past their prime.

this modular bridge that was recently put up, is a direct descendant of one of World War II's most consequential engineering innovations: the Bailey Bridge.

"Like an Erector Set, it comes totally broken down to the site, and then it's assembled at the site by the contractors,” Sobecki said. “The whole thing is built on the premise (that) it’s pre-fabricated, made in the shop. Then the pieces ship out and you just bolt it and pin it together at the job site and launch it.

“You don't need heavy cranes. You don't need welders out there. It's designed to be built with a minimum amount of equipment."

The German practice of destroying bridges in Sicily and Italy was so thorough that the U.S and British armies built more than 3,000 Bailey bridges with a combined length of nearly 55 miles, at an average length of 100 feet, according to the Warfare History Network.

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association's (ARTBA) analysis of federal data, 204 of Wyoming’s 3,136 bridges — 6.5% — are classified as structurally deficient, meaning at least one key element is in poor condition.

Nearly half of Wyoming's bridges are more than 50 years old, approaching or exceeding their intended design life and potentially requiring greater maintenance. State transportation officials have identified 1,180 bridges needing repairs. 

The American Society of Civil Engineers' 2025 Infrastructure Report Card paints a more concerning picture of aging infrastructure. 

The ARTBA reports that 945 of South Dakota's 5,883 bridges — 16.1% — are structurally deficient, one of the highest rates in the nation and more than double Wyoming's percentage.

Nebraska struggles with sheer volume. With 15,398 bridges — nearly five times Wyoming's inventory — the state has 1,217 structurally deficient structures, or 7.9%.

Increasingly extreme weather is driving demand for emergency bridging solutions. "Whether you believe in climate change or not, there is a bigger propensity of flooding and hurricanes and all that stuff, and it does drive our business," he said.

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/12/27/crumbling-bridge-near-alpine-replaced-in-days-with-wwii-erector-set-tech/

(if you plan to invest in something, I think copper, silver, and bridges would be a good idea right now)