Examining Design, Construction, and Maintenance Procedures for Texas Off-System Bridges Managed by Local Governments
Publication: International Conference on Transportation and Development 2024
ABSTRACT
Design, construction, and maintenance of off-system bridges differ among local governments (i.e., cities and counties). Bridge inspection reports reveal that off-system bridges, owned and maintained by local governments, exhibit inferior performance compared to those owned and maintained by state highway agencies. However, the lack of knowledge about the design, construction, and maintenance procedures related to off-system bridges in local governments hinders understanding the reasons behind this deficiency. This lack of knowledge poses challenges for state highway agencies to provide necessary guidance regarding the off-system bridges in their continued partnerships with local governments. This research aims to synthesize the current procedures related to the design, construction, and maintenance of Texas off-system bridges managed by local governments—including the utilized bridge-related design manuals and standards. Findings from fact-finding surveys and semi-structured follow-up interviews revealed deficiencies in certain existing practices. For instance, several local governments highlighted the absence of any mandatory design criteria (i.e., specific design manual or standard) for developers when designing or constructing bridges. The findings of this research are expected to enhance the overall performance of off-system bridges in local governments by providing insights into best practices for design, construction, and maintenance, as well as identifying possible areas for improvement.
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International Conference on Transportation and Development 2024
Pages: 634 - 646
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Published online: Jun 13, 2024
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