U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
This schedule covers records related to bridges and structures maintained in the Federal-aid Divisions (field offices) of the Federal Highway Administration and reflects disposition authorities granted under N1-406-09-23, DAA-0406-2011-0002, and the General Records Schedules (GRS). This schedule is media neutral, i.e., the disposition instructions apply to the described records in all media (including electronic information), unless the schedule identifies a specific medium for a specific series. For administrative records not covered below, field offices will follow the FHWA Records Disposition Schedule for Field Office Administrative Records in Chapter 1 and the GRS.
STRC 1 RESERVED.
STRC 2 Routine Bridge Correspondence. Includes data, memoranda and criteria on design, construction, and maintenance of bridges and culverts, navigable waterways, bridge safety inspection, joints and sealers, welding, bridge railings, hydraulics and hydrology, geotechnical, bank and shore protection. (N1-406-09-23/1)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 5 years after cutoff.
STRC 3 Bridge Failure Files.
General Bridge Failure Files. Files on bridges that have failed including correspondence, reports, and reviews used in documenting problems on bridge construction. (N1-406-09-23/2)
DISPOSITION: Place in inactive file after bridge fails. Cut off inactive file at end of fiscal year in which the investigation is completed. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
NOTE: If there are any particular files that contain sufficient historical value to warrant permanent retention, FHWA will identify such files on an SF 115 for individual appraisal [such as the I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse and Replacement Bridge Records; see below].
I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse and Replacement Bridge Records. The I-35W Mississippi River bridge (officially known as Bridge 9340) was an eight-lane, steel truss arch bridge that carried Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, it suddenly collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The bridge was Minnesota's fifth busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily. The National Transportation Safety Board cited a design flaw as the likely cause of the collapse, and it asserted that additional weight on the bridge at the time of the collapse contributed to the catastrophic failure. Within a few days of the collapse, the Minnesota Department of Transportation planned a replacement bridge, the I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge. Construction was completed rapidly, and it opened on September 18, 2008. Records consist of a wide variety of project design and construction files, plans, change orders and supplemental agreements, agreements of various kinds (utility, railroad, etc.), maintenance of traffic plans, Emergency Relief documents and sites associated with the collapse of the bridge, various project advertisement and bidding documents, environmental data and assessments and financial, planning, and other engineering reports and data. (DAA-0406-2011-0002-0002)
DISPOSITION: PERMANENT. Cut off records at the end of 2008 (Bridge reopened on September 18, 2008). Transfer to the National Archives 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 4 Bridge Construction Materials and Methods Files.
Includes correspondence concerning various materials and methods used in the construction of bridges, i.e. fabrication of steel bridges and welding methods. (N1-406-09-23/3)
DISPOSITION: Cut off 3 years after project completion at end of fiscal year. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 5 Bridge Plans.
DISPOSITION: Destroy 3 years after superseded.
DISPOSITION: Cut off upon project completion. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.
STRC 6 Bridge Policy and Procedures. Files include various correspondence concerning bridge policy and procedures. (N1-406-09-23/5)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 20 years after cutoff.
STRC 7 Highway Bridge Program Files.
Records of the highway bridge program and ancillary bridge programs (such as the Bridge Discretionary Program, Innovative Bridge Research and Construction/Deployment Program, Ferry Boat Program, and the Historical Covered Bridge Program), including correspondence with the Washington Headquarters office and the Division offices concerning the eligibility requirements for the program, bridge projects, bridge construction unit costs submittals, requests for candidates from the Washington Headquarters office, and inventory of bridges subject to the National bridge inspection standards. (N1-406-09-23/6)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 8 Corps of Engineers Files.
Correspondence on coordination, general requirements, policy guidance, and memorandums of agreement on dredge and fill permits required from the U.S. Corps of Engineers, including any pertinent general permits that could involve highway proposals. (N1-406-09-23/7)
DISPOSITION: Destroy 3 years after policy or general permit is superseded.
STRC 9 Geotechnical Files.
Correspondence and technical data relating to soil mechanics, foundations, piling, slope stability, and earth retaining structures. (N1-406-09-23/8)
DISPOSITION: Cut off after project completion at end of fiscal year. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 10 Hydraulics Files.
Correspondence concerning hydraulic design procedures, field hydraulic problems (including project construction related), and hydraulic structures and channels. (N1-406-09-23/9)
DISPOSITION: Cut off after project completion at end of fiscal year. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 11 National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) Files.
Records of the bridge inspection program, including correspondence with the Washington Headquarters office and Division offices concerning the requirements of the NBIS, requests for bridge inspection data from the Washington Headquarters office, and submissions of inspection data from the States. (N1-406-09-23/10)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at the end of the inspection cycle (currently 8 years) at the end of fiscal year after date of report. Transfer to FRC 8 years after cutoff. Destroy when superseded or after the structure or object has been retired from service.
STRC 12 Navigational Clearances.
This file includes correspondence concerning navigational clearances for various bridge projects. (N1-406-09-23/11)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 5 years after cutoff.
STRC 13 RESERVED.
STRC 14 Routine Tunnel Correspondence.
Includes data, memoranda, and criteria on the design, construction, and maintenance of tunnels. (N1-406-09-23/12)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 5 years after cutoff.
STRC 15 Annual Construction Cost Files.
Include correspondence concerning the annual construction costs, memorandums, and State submissions. (N1-406-09-23/13)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.
STRC 16 Special Project Files.
Include correspondence and memoranda on complex or unique structures. (N1-406-09-23/14)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.
STRC 17 Coast Guard Files.
Include correspondence on coordination, general requirements, policy, guidance, navigation determinations, and memorandums of agreements with the U.S. Coast Guard. (N1-406-09-23/15)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.
STRC 18 Tunnel Failure Files.
Files on tunnels that have failed including correspondence, reports, and reviews used in documenting problems on tunnel construction. (N1-406-09-23/16)
DISPOSITION: Place in inactive file after tunnel fails. Cut off inactive file at end of fiscal year in which the investigation is completed. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
NOTE: If there are any particular files that contain sufficient historical value to warrant permanent retention, FHWA will identify such files on an SF 115 for individual appraisal [such as the Boston Central Artery/Tunnel (Big Dig) failure – see ENGI 23D].
STRC 19 Tunnel Materials and Methods Files.
Include correspondence concerning various materials and methods used in the construction of tunnels. (N1-406-09-23/17)
DISPOSITION: Cut off 3 years after project completion at end of fiscal year. Destroy 10 years after cutoff.
STRC 20 Tunnel Plans.
Plans for tunnel design used as a guide by State and Division engineers when designing tunnels. Correspondence, drawings, and related engineering documents pertaining to type, size, and location of major tunnels. (N1-406-09-23/18)
DISPOSITION: Cut off upon project completion. Destroy 3 years after cutoff.
STRC 21 Tunnel Policy and Procedures.
This file includes various correspondence concerning tunnel policy and procedures. (N1-406-09-23/19)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at end of fiscal year. Destroy 20 years after cutoff unless previously superseded.
STRC 22 Tunnel Inspection Standards.
Records of the tunnel inspection program, including correspondence with the Washington Headquarters office and Division offices concerning the requirements, requests for inspection data from the Washington Headquarters office, and submissions of inspection data from the States. (N1-406-09-23/20)
DISPOSITION: Cut off at the end of the inspection cycle (currently 8 years) at the end of fiscal year after date of report. Transfer to FRC 8 years after cutoff. Destroy when superseded or after the structure or object has been retired from service.
