NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Transportation has released the projects for which it will accept bids next month.

The department plans to open bidding Oct. 18 on a total of 53 contracts, including 86 projects in 95 counties. TDOT will initiate resurfacing projects on several Tennessee interstate corridors and bids will also be received on a number of maintenance projects such as cable barrier repair, intersection improvements and bridge repair.

The list is available at www.tdot.state.tn.us/Chief_Engineer/docs/2012-2014_Program.pdf 

Recent federal data show dozens of Tennessee bridges are among the thousands nationwide that have advanced deterioration or are at risk of collapsing.

A Transportation Department spokeswoman says at least 25 of those bridges in Tennessee have been replaced with new structures, repaired, or either under construction for replacement or repair.