Short Span Steel Bridges 
SSSBA to Present, Exhibit and Sponsor Executive Dinner at NACE Conference in Texas (April 12-15)
The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance will present, exhibit and sponsor the NACE executive committee dinner at the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) Annual Conference – April 12-15, 2026 at the Loews Hotel & Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas.
SSSBA Exhibit Booth (#413)
Stop by the SSSBA exhibit booth #413 to meet with our staff, members and learn about the benefits of short span steel bridges:
SSSBA Exhibit Booth
- Location: Booth #413 (American Iron and Steel Institute / Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance)
- Dates/Times:
- Monday, April 13, 3:00-5:30 pm CT
- Tuesday, April 14, 8:00 am-3:00 pm CT
The following SSSBA members are also exhibiting at the conference:
- Acrow Bridge
- Contech Engineered Solutions
- Lane Enterprises, LLC
- TrueNorth Steel
- U.S. Bridge
- Wheeler
Presentation
Attend an SSSBA sponsored presentation by Dr. Michael Barker, SSSBA Director of Education and Professor at the University of Wyoming, on a free new tool developed to optimize steel bridge design in minutes!
Dr. Michael Barker
- Date: Wednesday, April 15, 10:30-11:20 AM CT
- Session: SE5, Technical Track- Structures and Environment
- Room: Steer A (Loews Hotel & Arlington Convention Center in Arlington)
- Session Title: Optimized Simple Span Steel Bridge Design in Minutes: A Practical Design Tool for County Engineers
- Presentation: Download Slides (PDF) – Coming Soon
- Speaker: Dr. Michael Barker, SSSBA Director of Education and Professor at the University of Wyoming
- Session Description: This session introduces the SSSBA simple span steel bridge design tool eBEAM140, developed in accordance with the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, 10th Edition. The tool accommodates any girder and diaphragm spacing—including skewed bridge configurations—using either 50 or 65 ksi steel. It supports all common decking materials and is suitable for composite and noncomposite bridges with two to four design lanes. The loading options are highly flexible, allowing users to define custom truck loads with specific characteristics. The program evaluates Strength I and II, Service II, Construction, Fatigue, and Deflection Limit States, and also designs shear studs for composite bridges. Built-in flexibility supports “What-If” scenario testing, giving engineers control over section selection, unbraced lengths, and layout variations. The program also includes a design solution, produced by the tool, to include all relevant structural parameters and is exportable for documentation and verification. With this free tool from the SSSBA, bridge owners and designers can explore cost-effective alternatives, reduce design cycles, and make faster, more resilient infrastructure decisions.
NACE Executive Dinner Sponsors
A BIG thank you to the following companies who are sponsoring the NACE Executive Committee Dinner on Saturday, April 11th:
NACE 2026 Executive Dinner Sponsors
- Acrow
- American Galvanizers Association
- AZZ Metal Coatings
- Cleveland-Cliffs
- Contech Engineered Solutions
- Infra-Metals
- International Zinc Association
- National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association
- National Steel Bridge Alliance
- South Atlantic LLC
- SSAB
- The Sherwin-Williams Company
- V&S Galvanizing
- Valmont Coatings
Additional Steel Bridge Resources
Design Tools
- eBEAM140: Free Excel-based tool for designing and refining simple span composite and noncomposite steel bridge beams
- eSPAN140: Create Simple Span Bridge Designs in 5-Minutes
Research Reports
- Sustainability of Rural Steel and Concrete Bridges
- Life Cycle Costs Matter When Comparing Steel and Concrete Girder Bridges
Educational Opportunities
Case Studies
- Bridges of Franklin County: Why Missouri is Turning to Steel
- Buried Steel Bridge Preserves Streambed While Supporting Heavy Loads
- Steel in Action: On-Demand Steel Bridge Video Series
- MoDOT Reimagines Rural Steel Bridges through SDCL Design
- Buried Steel Bridge Saves Ohio County $17,000
- County Saves $30,000 Using a Prefabricated Steel Bridge Instead of Concrete
- Missouri Short Span Bridge Study Finds Steel Saved 25% Over Concrete
News
Industry Leaders Weigh In on AASHTO’s 2026 Transportation Priorities
During AASHTO’s 2026 Washington Briefing, a panel of industry leaders discussed reauthorization priorities, emphasizing federal funding, improved safety, faster project delivery, and the role of technology in advancing transportation outcomes.
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.
Design
NSBA Releases Updated Bolted Splice Spreadsheet 4.01
NSBA’s Bolted Splice Spreadsheet 4.01 streamlines connection design with expanded options and updated AASHTO LRFD provisions for faster, more economical solutions.