Short Span Steel Bridges 
New Jersey Short Span Steel Bridge Workshop (Feb. 12 – Trenton, NJ)
Short span bridges are essential yet aging components of the nation’s infrastructure. This workshop offers practical, up-to-date guidance on cost-effective, durable steel bridge solutions to help local agencies address infrastructure needs and make the most of limited resources.
Title: New Jersey Short Span Steel Bridge Workshop
Date: February 12, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
PDH: 6.0 Professional Development Hour (PDH New Jersey only credits will be provided for this event by ACEC NJ)
Host/Sponsor: Hosted by New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) and New Jersey American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Presented by the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance
Location:
New Jersey Department of Transportation Headquarters
Multi-Purpose Room (MPR Room)
1035 Parkway Avenue – Trenton, NJ 08625
Registration: Free (invitation only by NJ DOT and NJ ACEC – registration limited) – contact Dan Snyder for information (dsnyder@steel.org)
Description:
Short span bridges are vital links in the nation’s infrastructure, yet many are aging, structurally deficient, or beyond their intended service life. With constrained budgets, programs like New Jersey’s Local Bridges Fund underscore the need for cost-effective, durable solutions that deliver long-term value. This workshop—hosted by the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance in partnership with the New Jersey DOT—will equip local bridge owners, designers, consultants and contractors with practical, up-to-date guidance on steel bridge design, fabrication, installation and maintenance. Industry experts will highlight the latest advancements in efficient, resilient and sustainable steel solutions to help agencies tackle infrastructure challenges and maximize project resources.
Agenda:
- 8:30AM – Welcome and Overview
- Eric Yermack, NJDOT
- Dan Snyder, AISI
- 8:45 – Bridge Economy, Initial Costs and Life Cycle Costs (download)
- Michael Barker, University of Wyoming
- 9:15 – Steel Bridge Design Tools and Resources with Examples
- 12:00PM Lunch
- 1:00 Steel Bridge Recent Practices
- 2:30 Prefab Orthotropic Steel Deck Systems: Level One Design and Federal Funding Opportunities (download)
- Justin Dahlberg, Iowa St. Univ.
- 3:00 Resilient Structural Solutions
- 3:30 Closing Comments / Adjourn
Speaker Bios:
Michael Barker – University of Wyoming
Dr. Barker received his BS and MS in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and his PhD from the University of Minnesota. He is a Professor of Civil & Architectural Engineering at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Barker is the Director of Education for the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance. His primary research pertains to steel bridges, experimental testing, bridge design specifications, bridge field testing, high performance steel and reliability analyses of structures.
Justin Dahlberg – Iowa State University
Justin Dahlberg is the Director of the Bridge Engineering Center (BEC) at Iowa State University and Director for the National Center for Wood Transportation Structures (NCWTS). Collectively, these centers employ multiple research staff and graduate students and collaborate with Iowa State University faculty and professionals around the world to complete the centers’ objectives and goals to maintain and improve bridge infrastructure assets. Mr. Dahlberg’s professional career includes six years as a structural engineer for a private consulting firm where he had the opportunity to lead projects and design structures for several multi-million-dollar projects, and nine years of conducting bridge-related research for the BEC and NCWTS. Dahlberg has conducted investigative bridge research and performed onsite and bridge-related laboratory tests while working on projects involving structural health monitoring, material performance, repair and rehabilitation, and bridge performance. Onsite investigation has included bridges located in many geographically diverse areas around the US and working with multiple material types and bridge configurations. His experiences have enabled him to work among all levels of government and private personnel in many states around the US. Mr. Dahlberg is a registered engineer in the State of Iowa.
Chris Garrell – National Steel Bridge Alliance
Chris Garrell is the Chief Bridge Engineer with the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), supporting programs that advance steel bridge design, fabrication, and construction.
Joel Hahm – Contech Engineered Solutions
Hahm has worked with Contech Engineered Solutions since 2019, and his work includes design of structural plate buried bridge structures and working with engineers, owners, and contractors on development of buried bridge projects. Earlier in his career, he worked with such organizations as Big R Bridge, Geotechnical Services, Inc., and American Engineering Testing, Inc.
Hahm’s other professional memberships include:
- American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association
- Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance
- Transportation Research Board
- National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association
Ronnie Medlock – High Steel Structures
Ronnie Medlock is Vice President – Technical Services, High Steel Structures LLS, Lancaster, PA and President, Medlock LLC, Lancaster, PA. Ronnie has degrees of BS Architectural Engineering and MS, Civil Engineering, Structures, University of Texas at Austin. Ronnie is licensed professional engineer.
Ronnie worked for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) from 1988 to 2006 where he was responsible for steel bridge fabrication quality assurance until 2001, and then responsible for structural design in several areas, including geotechnical engineering, sign and signal support structures, bridge standards, bridge railing, bridge design software. In 2006, Ronnie joined High Steel, a fabricator of steel bridges, producing 200 steel bridges per year. Ronnie is responsible for quality control, including shop inspection; welding procedure development, qualification, and approval; repair procedure development; and fabrication technical advancements, particularly with respect to welding.
An AISC Lifetime Achievement Awardee and current AISC Higgins lecturer, Ronnie is active on numerous bridge associated organizations, including the AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge Collaboration, which he cofounded in1997 and where he chairs the Main Committee.
Frank Russo – Russo Structural Services
Frank Russo is the founder of Russo Structural Services and has over 30 years’ experience, much of it devoted to design, rehabilitation and repair of major bridge structures. He has received both Special Achievement and Lifetime Achievement Awards from AISC for his accomplishments in the field of major steel bridge design and rehabilitation and he is the 2025 recipient of the AASHTO Steel & Metals Committee Richard S Fountain Award which recognizes his leadership in steel bridge research and outstanding efforts to advance AASHTO specifications. His presentation today focuses on the development of the AISC Standard Plans for Steel Bridges.
Kevin Traynor – Acrow
Kevin Traynor is the Regional Sales Manager, Bridging and Structural Shoring, at Acrow, a global leader in modular steel bridge solutions. In this role, he focuses on advancing Acrow’s infrastructure offerings by supporting clients with modular bridge systems for permanent, temporary, and emergency applications.
Gary Wisch – DeLongs Inc.
Gary Wisch has been employed by a steel bridge fabricator, DeLong’s, Inc., for 43 years. Mr. Wisch first served as a research engineer, then, for 35 years, as Vice President of Engineering, supervising all engineering, drafting, and quality control functions. For the past year, he has worked part time as an advisor to the Engineering and Business Development Departments. Mr. Wisch has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Missouri, and a Certified Welding Inspector.
Does the SSSBA offer educational opportunities?
Yes! The SSSBA offers educational opportunities to students and professionals:
Professionals: The SSSBA provides complimentary half-day or full-day workshops on short span steel bridge design to states, counties, and design firms. Topics covered include practical and cost-effective steel bridge design and fabrication with eSPAN140, press-brake-formed steel tub girders, steel buried bridge design, galvanized coating solutions, and economical design with case studies, and more. The workshops can take place virtually or in-person, compliments of the steel industry. Learn more.
Students: The University of Wyoming and the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance created a free 6-part live-lecture educational series to cover the many aspects of designing, fabricating, and constructing steel bridges. All students who successfully complete the education series will receive a Certificate of Completion from the University of Wyoming. Learn more.
Speakers: The SSSBA provides expert speakers to present topics of interest on the cost-effective design and construction of short span steel bridges. If you need a speaker for your next event, contact the SSSBA.
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