Short Span Steel Bridges 
Market Changes Spur Innovations in Bridge Solution
Robert J. Wills, American Iron and Steel Institute
Image: Steel girder rural bridge in Champaign County, Illinois.
Important issues prevail in bridge design and construction. In a recent “Bridges Today” section that appeared in Engineering News-Record (April 3, 2023), industry authorities provided various perspectives to describe some of the valuable ways that experts are influencing bridge options and defining actions to build a better future.
Robert Wills, Vice President, Construction Program, American Iron and Steel Institute, called attention to the urgent need to repair or replace thousands of off-system bridges, typically those with spans of less than 140 feet and located in rural areas, that make up 70 percent of the national bridge inventory.
“One of the most pressing issues in bridge design and construction today is America’s rural transportation system, comprised of thousands of off-system bridges in dire need of repair or replacement,” said Wills. “The U.S. faces a $180-billion backlog in funding for needed repairs and improvements to this system, which includes a $35-billion backlog for rural bridge rehabilitation.”
In a recent “Bridges Today” section that appeared in Engineering News-Record, industry authorities provided various perspectives on how experts are defining actions to build a better future.
. Wills discussed steel solutions and resources available through the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance, including:
- Online tool eSPAN140 for designing economical and sustainable rolled-beam, plate girder, and corrugated structural plate bridges.
- Press-brake steel tub girder bridges, which can be shipped in prefabricated modules directly to the construction site and installed in less than 30 minutes.
- Development of state-specific bridge design standards to accelerate the design and approval process.
- Complimentary educational workshops, webinars and consultations for bridge professionals.
Additional experts who contributed to the ENR article include:
- Linda Bauer Darr, President and CEO, American Council of Engineering Companies
- Winn Darden, Business Manager, AGC/LUMIFLON FEVE
Read the full article, Bridging Solutions: Market changes spur innovation, from Engineering News-Record.
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