BOSTON -- Fixing hundreds of structurally deficient bridges in the Bay State is a top priority, but there are plenty of roadblocks, too.

"Overall, out of the 482 bridge structures operated by the Turnpike, 27, or 5 percent of those bridges, are rated as structurally deficient," Massport's Mary Jane O'Meara said.

"Just the cost of inspecting one of these bridges can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars," Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen said.

The numbers produced by a panel of Patrick administration officials was staggering. They said we are now spending less than half of what we need to spend to slowly fix the 600 structurally deficient bridges in Massachusetts, and that by the time we fix one bridge, another 1.2 bridges become structurally deficient. But legislators know the public won't tolerate higher taxes.

"With gas around $3 a gallon, that's not feasible," Rep. Joe Wagner said.

"What about increasing tolls?" Wu said.

"I would like to look elsewhere before I would look at tolls," Wagner said.

Independent researchers insist the real problem is not the lack of money.

"We certainly don't rule out the possible need for new revenues, but we think just to pour money into a system that doesn't work, doesn't make sense," said Steve Poftak, of the Pioneer Institute.

Poftak said there are too many agencies, such as Massport, Mass Highway and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, doing the same thing. There is a lot of duplication in some areas, yet too many other needs are ignored.

"Why do you have two legal departments? Why do you have two human resources departments?" Sen. Steven Baddour said.

Sen. Mark Montigny said the answer is simple: Too many entrenched special interests. Guardians of the current system don't want to lay off their supporters.

"I refuse to simply look at spending more money without first looking at reform," he said.

Wagner suggested a new tax on tires at the cash register -- something that Pennsylvania does -- might cough up a few dollars for bridge repair.

Baddour said he wouldn't rule out revenues from casino gambling -- a decision the governor has yet to announce.