Changes to bridge project reviews in US will speed repairs

According to the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), changes in the way the US Government reviews bridge projects could speed repairs. ARTBA has long-advocated this change, which could save US taxpayers an estimated US$78 million and reduce wait times for repair projects on more than 196,000 bridges in the country. The decision by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) will allow the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to streamline the historic preservation proces
December 13, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), changes in the way the 908 US Government reviews bridge projects could speed repairs. ARTBA has long-advocated this change, which could save US taxpayers an estimated US$78 million and reduce wait times for repair projects on more than 196,000 bridges in the country. The decision by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) will allow the 2410 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to streamline the historic preservation process for concrete and steel bridges built after 1945. This will allow the projects to go through the regulatory review process as a group, rather than individually. ARTBA had supported this change when first proposed, noting that the approach is similar to how the agency dealt with historic preservation issues impacting rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Interstate Highway System (IHS). At that time, ARTBA similarly supported exempting large portions of the IHS from historic preservation regulations by identifying areas with historic value beforehand. ARTBA said the new review process, “…recognises while there will certainly be instances where active steps to preserve historical portions of the bridges will be necessary, the majority of bridge improvements in this class will not affect anything of historical significance.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ARTBA addresses wetlands permissions
    April 19, 2012
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is offering the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) advice on reducing unnecessary regulatory red-tape on transportation projects through improving the wetlands permissions process. ARTBA has submitted comments to the Corps in response to a government-wide regulatory review initiated by President Obama in 2011. This advice from ARTBA details specific recommendations to make wetlands permitting more efficient. ARTBA is working on ways to reduce u
    Read More
  • ARTBA launches challenge to emissions proposal
    August 22, 2016
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) in the US is challenging a proposal from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to measure greenhouse gas emissions from new transportation projects. The proposal forms part of performance measures required under the 2012 “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” (MAP-21) surface transportation reauthorisation law. However ARTBA says that the proposal “exceeds both the authority of the FHWA and the intent of MAP-21.” ARTBA warned of
    Read More
  • Independent experts suggest interim Bay Bridge fix
    August 15, 2013
    The state Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee (TBPOC) says it has received a report from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in which the federal agency concludes that installing temporary seismic elements will make the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge safe for traffic, and should be put in place as soon as possible. This FHWA plan involves inserting large steel plates, known as shims, into each of four bearings, improving their ability to safely distribute energy during an ea
    Read More
  • US city of Vancouver approves new I-5 bridge
    July 18, 2022
    Vancouver in the US state of Washington and Portland in the state of Oregon are aiming for a new road bridge with the possibility of accommodating light rail transport.
    Read More

Highlighted Content