Memorandum
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

Title 23, U.S.C. 144 was revised by TEA-21 to allow Federal participation in the installation of scour countermeasures on highway bridges. This work is now eligible for Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation funds and other Federal-aid funds. Countermeasures for scour and stream instability are defined as measures incorporated into a highway-stream crossing system to monitor, control, inhibit, change, delay, or minimize the associated problems. Countermeasures are organized into three main groups based on their functionality with respect to scour and stream instability: hydraulic countermeasures (i.e., riprap armoring), structural countermeasures (i.e., foundation underpinning), and monitoring (i.e., fixed instrumentation).

The installation of scour countermeasures may be undertaken as a sole work item or combined with other eligible work. Under TEA-21, however, for bridge program funds to be used for scour countermeasures the bridge must be on an eligibility selection list provided under 23 CFR 650.409(b). Previous guidance from the Office of Engineering, contained in the October 15, 1997, memorandum (copy attached) regarding the funding of scour countermeasure work with bridge program funds is superseded.

As a sole work item, installation of scour countermeasures is not considered reconstruction and is not subject to the 10-year rule. Therefore, Item 106 of the Coding Guide should not be updated for this type of work.

Questions concerning this policy should be directed to Mr. Steven Ernst at 202-366-4619.

/s/ Original signed by
Henry H. Rentz

Henry H. Rentz