Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed a declaration of emergency for the sagging Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge, which has been closed since Sept. 25, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The declaration is the first step toward makeing the bridge eligible for federal money for repairs.
The Federal Highway Administration cannot determine whether the project is eligible for funds until a cause is identified, the Journal Sentinel reported.
If the sagging is due to the age of the bridge, it is not eligible for the funds. However if the settling of the pier which caused the sag was caused by an external force, it would be eligible, according to the newspaper.
In Florida, the Mathews Bridge, a major east-west artery in Jacksonville could have collapsed after a ship strike last week, the Jacksonville Business Journal reported.
The bridge, which remains closed, almost came apart when a Military Sealift Command ship struck, Florida Department of Transportation said after inspecting the damage.
Metal plates which support the concrete span were 2 to 3 inches out of position, and the concrete nearly slipped off those supporting plates, according to the Business Journal.
About 109,000 vehicles used the bridge each day. Traffic is being detoured on the Hart Bridge that carries U.S. Route 1 and the Fuller Warren Bridge that carries Interstate 95.
