REBUILDING OUR BRIDGES -- WHY AND HOW

There are two outstanding reasons why U.S. bridges are, for the most part, in a condition of disrepair: (1) Civil engineers have been required to produce estimates of construction costs prior to the public bidding for construction contracts. These estimates have been based on first cost, meaning the engineer's best guess of the lowest bidder's price, rather than life-cycle cost. This has, in the past, controlled design decision-making in favor of first-cost considerations only. (2) The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) had abided by the law which prohibits the use of federal funds for maintenance or preventive maintenance items in any bridge construction or reconstruction contract. This article examines the activities of ASTM Subcommittee D04.32 on Bridges and Structures, such as funding, authorizations and permits, public hearings and others.