Applications Open for New Competitive Bridge Investment Program

The following excerpt provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Reflecting President Biden’s commitment to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration opened a call for applications through a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the competitive Bridge Investment Program established by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes the single largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the Interstate highway system.

The program will provide $12.5 billion over five years, with nearly $2.4 billion available in Fiscal Year 2022 to help plan, replace, rehabilitate, protect, and preserve some of the nation’s largest bridges. This competitive grant program comes on top of more than $27 billion in formula bridge funding the U.S. Department of Transportation announced earlier this year.

“We’re thrilled to begin accepting applications for one of the most significant investments in our bridges in decades, fixing everything from America’s most economically significant bridges to smaller bridges that mean everything to a local community,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “When these bridges are repaired, the American people will benefit from greater safety, lower shipping costs for consumers and maintenance costs for drivers, faster movement of goods across our supply chains, fuel savings, and precious time being returned to their day.”

Bridge Investment Program funding is unique in three key areas because it:

• Allows multi-year grant agreements to fund large projects by making it possible to take a project through pre-construction activities and into construction.
• Offers grants that help fund the planning process, including planning, feasibility analysis and revenue forecasting associated with the development of a project that would subsequently be eligible to apply for the Bridge Investment Program.
• Offers two types of construction grants, covering “large” projects over $100 million and “bridge projects” at up to $100 million.

This ends the excerpt provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation – the Notice of Funding Opportunity is available on FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program web page.

Steel Bridges Ease Repair and Inspection, Provide Long Service Life

Steel bridge systems have the potential to achieve service lives well over 100 years. In fact, there are thousands of 100-year-old steel bridges still in service across the nation. Two of the main reasons steel lasts so long is its ease of inspection and repair, enabling steel bridges to have much longer and sustainable service lives than other materials.

Inspection of a Steel vs. Concrete Bridge

According to the publication “Steel Bridge Construction: Myths & Realities”, the American Concrete Institute recognizes that concrete structures are subject to deterioration. It recommends sealing of the concrete surface to reduce permeability, considered to be the single most important factor affecting the rates of deterioration from reinforcing bar corrosion, carbonation, alkali-silica reaction or freeze-thaw cycle, all of which may occur simultaneously.

When this type of internal deterioration occurs, it may be very serious. The solution typically is an expensive repair or bridge replacement. Such hidden defects in a concrete bridge are often extraordinarily difficult to detect and can lead to a catastrophic collapse.

Structural steel, on the other hand, is visible and any signs of corrosion are clearly apparent at an early stage of deterioration. It is easier to inspect and determine the structural state of a steel bridge where all the components are visible. If during a routine inspection deterioration is present, steel bridges can be efficiently repaired and remain in service, and not require complete replacement, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance.

It is easier to inspect and determine the structural state of a steel bridge where all the components are visible.

Repair of Steel Bridges with Minimal Traffic Disruption

Alberta Transportation’s “Repair of Bridge Structural Steel Elements Manual” indicates that structural steel bridge elements may be damaged by overload, high and/or wide load impacts, vehicle collision, fire or structural vandalism. If damage to a bridge is left unrepaired, the condition of the components may further deteriorate, resulting in a reduction of the bridge’s structural capacity which could then compromise the safety of the motoring public.

While repair of damaged structural steel bridge elements may be unique and specific to the particular bridge element, standard techniques and procedures are provided for heat straightening, partial member replacement and repair of other defects, says the manual. These techniques and procedures are carried out with minimal use of costly temporary shoring and supports and little disruption to the traveling public.

• Heat Straightening: For almost half a century, heat-straightening techniques have been applied to bends and distortions in order to restore the original shape of steel elements. The ability to repair damaged structural steel members in place, often without the need for temporary shoring, has generated interest in heat straightening from the engineering profession, says the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). For additional information, download the “Guide for Heat-Straightening of Damaged Steel Bridge Members, FHWA Report No. FHWA-IF-08-999”.
• Bridge Strengthening: Due to increased traffic loads or general deterioration, cost-effective and durable strengthening systems have been developed to repair and strengthen steel bridges. The design life of a steel bridge can be extended by strengthening the structure, while meeting the challenge of keeping the bridge in service, with minimal traffic disruption. The FHWA developed two design examples which involve the addition of steel- strengthening material to extend the design life of an existing bridge:
  • Steel Truss Member Strengthening Design Example
  • Plate Girder Shear and Flexural Strengthening Design Example

Further Extending the Life of a Steel Bridge

The long-term durability and cost-effectiveness of steel bridges will be further enhanced by the use of high-performance steels with corrosion-resistant capabilities. New steel grades and innovative designs are constantly being developed to further extend the life of a steel bridge:

• Steel press-brake tub girders were introduced several years ago to simplify and speed the construction of a short span bridge.
• Galvanized steel bridges can protect against corrosion for up to 100 years.
• Weathering steel can extend the life of a steel bridge up to 120 years.
• ASTM A709 Grade 50CR is highly corrosion-resistant steel which performs extremely well in corrosive environments and can significantly extend the service lives of steel bridges.

The Pennsylvania DOT implemented an innovative design to extend the service life for a new bridge currently being installed. The concept uses a Flex Beam bridge system combined with corrosion-resistant A709-50CR steel.

In addition to steel being the optimal choice for ease of inspection and repair, the American steel industry is also committed to manufacturing products and implementing processes that achieve environmental, social and economic sustainability. In fact, the American steel industry is the cleanest and most energy-efficient of the seven largest steel-producing countries in the world. Learn more about steel’s attributes, including its inherent durability and recyclability, which make it vital to modern society at the American Iron and Steel Institute.