The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will update the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) for highway bridges with a new rule that goes into effect on June 6. The new rule was issued by FHWA on May 6.
According to the AASHTO Journal, the agency also issued $1.1 billion in formula funding for bridge repair and replacement. In a statement, FHWA noted the funding increase resulted from the fiscal year 2022 omnibus appropriations package signed in March, which honored full first-year transportation funding levels established by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
FHWA incorporated several technological advancements with the new rule, including the use of drones. The rule also addresses “ambiguities” identified since the last update to these regulations in 2009.
Two outdated regulations are also being repealed via the NBIS update: the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program and the Discretionary Bridge Candidate Rating Factor.
The updated regulations include new timeframes for updating inventory data, as well as a process for tracking the updates of inventory data. The updated standards also include a new document to identify data items for the National Bridge Inventory.
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Source: AASHTO Journal
