Short Span Steel Bridges 
SSSBA Holds Semiannual Meeting in New Orleans
Last week, the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) held its semiannual meeting in New Orleans, LA.
Over 40 members of the SSSBA attended the 2-day meeting, including county engineers and representatives from the National Association of County Engineers.
Throughout the week, steel bridge stakeholders from around the country came together to focus on key areas related to short span steel bridges including innovation, standardization, education and market development.
Brian Keierleber, Buchanan County, Iowa presenting on Innovative Bridge Deck Solutions during the SSSBA Innovation Council Meeting.
2-Days of Technical, Marketing and Industry Focused Events
The meeting kicked off Monday afternoon with a distinguished lineup of speakers and topics for the Innovation and Technical Standards Council sessions that included:
- Bridge Deck Innovations
- Brian Keierleber, Buchanan County, Iowa
- Autauga County, Alabama Bridge Program
- John Mark Davis, Autauga County, Alabama
- Woodbury County, Iowa Bridge Program
- Mark Nahra, Woodbury County, Iowa
- Bridge Innovation Forum
- Detailed PBFTG Design w/Case Study
- Guy Nelson, Valmont
- Short Span Railroad Bridge Initiative
- Tony Peterson, National Steel Bridge Alliance
On Tuesday, the schedule featured SSSBA’s Communications Council, Marketing and Education Council and the SSSBA General Meeting, which included another round of noteworthy presenters and information:
- Artificial Intelligence in the Construction Industry
- Joshua Quinter, Offit-Kurman Attorneys at Law
- Analyzing Structure Fire Response for a Tunnel-Type Application/TRB Update
- Joel Hahm, Contech Engineered Solutions
- Construction Market Outlook
- Jay Bowman, FMI Consulting
- National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association Update
- Michael McGough, Executive Director, NCSPA
- National Association of County Engineers (NACE) and Legislative/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Update
- Kevan Stone, Executive Director, NACE
The feedback received was positive. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to learn from real-world examples provided by industry experts on the advantages steel bridges present to the transportation industry.
Big thank you to the SSSBA members that sponsored Monday’s networking event at the National World War II Museum
Networking Event Sponsors
A big thank you to the following companies who sponsored Monday’s networking event at the SSSBA meetings:
Diamond Sponsors
- Acrow (website)
- Sherwin Williams (website)
- High Steel Structures (website)
- National Steel Bridge Alliance (website)
- V&S Galvanizing (website)
- ArcelorMittal (website)
- Cleveland-Cliffs (website)
- SSAB Americas (website)
Gold Sponsors
- St. Louis Bolt and Screw (website)
- Contech Engineered Solutions (website)
- Premier Steel (website)
- South Atlantic LLC (website)
- American Galvanizers Association (website)
Silver Sponsor
Also, a BIG THANK YOU to our co-sponsors for agreeing to sponsor the ENTIRE HAPPY HOUR on January 23rd at Acme Oyster House
SSSBA members and guests at the networking event in New Orleans, LA.
Next Meeting will be in September 2024
The next SSSBA Semiannual meeting will be held in September 2024. The meeting location will be made available to our members soon.
If you would like more information on this event or to become a member of the SSSBA, please contact Dan Snyder at dsnyder@steel.org or complete an online membership application.
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Free 4-Part Quarterly Webinar Series: Steel Bridge Playbook (Starts Feb. 24)
This free, four-part quarterly webinar series delivers expert insights on steel bridge design, preservation, and innovation. Explore essential design resources, corrosion protection through galvanizing, accelerated construction methods, and real-world case studies to gain practical guidance for every steel bridge project. Sponsored by SSSBA and AGA.
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SSSBA to Present on Accelerated Steel Bridge Design at Mid Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop (Feb. 9-11)
The SSSBA will participate in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Don’t miss Dr. Michael Barker’s presentation on Feb. 10, 3:00–3:40 p.m. ET, highlighting practical approaches for cost-efficient, accelerated short span steel bridges.
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New Jersey Short Span Steel Bridge Workshop (Feb. 12 – Trenton, NJ)
Sponsored by the SSSBA, the New Jersey 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.
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Steel Bridge Lecture: Steel Solutions for Local Communities (Ft. Collins, CO – Feb. 19)
Join the SSSBA and Structural Engineers Association of Colorado (SEAC) on February 19 in Fort Collins, Colorado, for “Building Bridges: Steel Solutions for Local Communities” presented by Dr. Michael Barker. Learn how short span steel bridges cut costs, speed construction, and earn 1.0 PDH.
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Events
SSSBA to Present on Accelerated Steel Bridge Design at Mid Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop (Feb. 9-11)
The SSSBA will participate in the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Quality Assurance Workshop in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Don’t miss Dr. Michael Barker’s presentation on Feb. 10, 3:00–3:40 p.m. ET, highlighting practical approaches for cost-efficient, accelerated short span steel bridges.
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