Questions and Answers on the National Bridge Inspection Standards, 23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C
Except for any cited statutes or regulations, the contents of these Q&As do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. These Q&As are intended only to provide information regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
General
QG-1 Why were the FHWA bridge inspection program regulations developed and what is the history of the program? (Updated 3/01/2023)
AG-1 The FHWA bridge inspection program regulations were developed as a result of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 (sec. 26, Public Law 90-495, 82 Stat. 815, at 829) that required the Secretary of Transportation to establish national bridge inspection standards (NBIS). The primary purpose of the NBIS is to locate and evaluate existing bridge deficiencies to ensure the safety of the traveling public.
The 1968 Federal-Aid Highway Act directed the States to maintain an inventory of Federal-aid highway system bridges. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970 (sec. 204, Public Law 91-605, 84 Stat. 1713, at 1741) limited the NBIS to bridges on the Federal-aid highway system. After the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 (STAA) (sec. 124, Public Law 95-599, 92 Stat. 2689, at 2702) was passed, NBIS requirements were extended to bridges greater than 20 feet on all public roads. The Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 (STURRA) (sec.125, Public Law 100-17, 101 Stat. 132, at 166) expanded bridge inspection programs to include special inspection procedures for fracture critical members and underwater inspection.
Additional changes have been made to the NBIS over the years with a revision made in 2004, that addressed scour critical bridges, required inspection procedures for complex bridges, and provided recommendations for addressing critical findings. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures were also implemented and updates were made to the inspection interval for certain underwater inspections. Finally, a revision of the NBIS occurred in 2009 which updated a reference document used in the regulation.
A comprehensive history of the National Bridge Inspection Program is provided in the Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM). The BIRM is defined in 23 CFR 650.305.
QG-2 Why revise the NBIS and what were the major revisions? (Updated 3/01/2023)
AG-2 The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) (Pub. L. 112-141, 126 Stat 405) required the Secretary of Transportation to update the NBIS. Major revisions include:
- Extending the applicability of the NBIS to tribally owned bridges.
- Updating the methodology, training, and qualifications for inspection personnel.
- Updating bridge inspection intervals, considering a risk-based approach.
- Establishing a registry of nationally certified bridge inspectors.
- Ensuring uniformity with the National Tunnel Inspection Standards enacted in 2015.
- Establishing procedures for reporting and monitoring of critical findings.
- Conducting annual reviews for compliance with the NBIS.
- Collection and inventory of element level inspection data for bridges on the National Highway System (NHS).
Lastly, the final rule clarified NBIS regulatory language that was vague or ambiguous, incorporated advances in inspection practices, and incorporated by reference updated inspection documents.