 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration |
MEMORANDUM |
| Subject: | HBRR Program Funding Policy on Closed Bridge | Date: | Nov 14, 1985 |
| From: | Associate Administrator for Engineering and Program Development | Reply to: Attn. of: |
HNG-33 |
| To: | Regional Federal Highway Administrators Regions 1-10 |
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Recently we have received questions dealing with the replacement or rehabilitation of bridges which have been out of service for extended time periods. Section 144 of Title 23 USC mandates that Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program funds only be used to replace or to rehabilitate bridges which are significantly important and are unsafe. The earlier Special Bridge Replacement Program was also applicable only to bridges which are important and have become unsafe. Therefore, effective this date:
- Bridges out of service (closed) prior to the establishment of the Special Bridge Replacement Program (December 31, 1970) are not eligible for the HBRRP. Further, these bridges shall be removed from the National Bridge Inventory.
- Bridges taken out of service after December 31. 1970, are also not eligible unless the State highway agency has made reasonable progress in scheduling the rehabilitation or replacement of the facility, thus indicating that the bridge was of significant importance.
The National Bridge Inventory (NBI) (as of October 3. 1985) includes 4,690 closed bridges. This memorandum also transmits an appropriate listing of these to each region for verification. Please check this list and take appropriate action to correct the list or to remove these bridges from the NBI in accord with the above stated policy.
/s/ Original Signed By
Rex C. Leathers
Attachment