Short Span Steel Bridges How are county engineers working to upgrade local infrastructure?
According to the National Association of County Engineers, local roads account for 75 percent of the nations highways and roads (about 2.93 million miles). Counties manage about 1.74 million miles of those roads, while cities and townships oversee another 1.19 million miles. Counties also own 219,000 bridges (40% of the nation’s bridges) and operate one-third of the nation’s transit systems.
The National Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (HBRRP) sufficiency ratings indicate that 31.9 percent of county bridges are considered structurally deficient and 11.5 percent functionally obsolete for a total of 43.4 percent in need of replacement or rehabilitation.
Brian Keierleber, P.E., has been the County Engineer in Buchanan County, Iowa since 1993, overseeing the maintenance and construction of 963 miles of county roads and 257 county bridges. In this video, Brian provides a perspective on how county engineers are working to upgrade the local infrastructure with sustainable steel solutions.
Learn more about Brian and Buchanan County’s use of steel to upgrade their local infrastructure:
- Iowa County Saves Costs by Choosing Buried Steel Bridge for Replacement Project
- Amish Sawmill Bridge: An Innovative Steel Solution for Short Span Bridge Design
- County to Save $100,000 Using Innovative Steel Design for Bridge Replacement Project
Does steel provide an economical solution for bridge construction?
- Due to the light weight of steel, cost savings can be significant
- Studies show that weathering, A1010 (A709-50CR), and galvanized steel reduces both initial and life cycle costs.
- Steel can compete and even save costs when compared with nearly identical concrete structures. re.
- Steel bridges also have long lives, decreasing the need for replacement.
- Steel’s high strength permits longer spans, minimizing disruption to underlying habitats.
- Steel is highly resistant to extreme natural disasters such as earthquakes.
- Steel is the world’s most recycled material and is infinitely recyclable.
- Short span steel bridges can be designed with prefabricated elements which provide a simpler installation and cost savings.
News
Missouri Steel Bridge Bundle Project Wins Prize Bridge Award
The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) named Missouri’s FARM Bridges Design/Build Bundle the 2026 Prize Bridge Award winner in the Short Span category. Fabricated by SSSBA member DeLong’s, the project delivered 31 rural bridges across 15 counties using galvanized steel and SDCL design for a 100-year service life.
Economics
Steel vs. Concrete: A Deep Dive into Bridge Life Cycle Economics
A comprehensive study by Dr. Michael Barker of the University of Wyoming analyzes 1,186 steel and concrete girder bridges in Pennsylvania to compare life cycle costs, offering data-driven insights into long-term economic performance and service life.
Education
Steel Bridges for Smarter, Faster Construction – On-Demand Steel Bridge Video Series
This three-part on-demand video series covers integral abutments, simple for dead continuous for live designs and prefabricated bridge options.