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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FHWA Launches Flagship Initiative to Collect Nationwide Data on Highway Bridges WASHINGTON, DC - A 20-year research effort to collect data on bridges nationwide will lead to better investment decisions on bridges, Acting Federal Highway Administrator Jim Ray, announced today. "Bringing a strategic and national perspective to bridge research will offer tremendous benefits," Ray said. "The approach is forward-looking in providing the information bridge owners need to make the best investment decisions." Ray added that the Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) program represents a flagship initiative to collect and analyze performance data on selected bridges around the country to understand how they react under given conditions. The data collected will be used for a variety of purposes, including the study of deterioration and durability of bridges and the impacts of maintenance and repair. Researchers expect the program to provide a better understanding of bridge deterioration, including the effects of corrosion, fatigue, environmental conditions and loadings. The Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) has been awarded a contract, worth up to $25.5 million, to carry out the program through fiscal year 2012. The work will be conducted by a broad-based team assembled by CAIT representing state, local, and federal agencies, industry and academia. # # # |