The purpose of this subpart is to implement the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 150(c)(3)(A)(ii)(III), which requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish performance measures for the purpose of carrying out the NHPP and for State DOTs and MPOs to use in assessing the condition of bridges carrying the NHS which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS.
The section is only applicable to bridges carrying the NHS, which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS.
The following definitions are only applicable to this subpart, unless otherwise provided:
Structurally deficient as used in §§ 490.411 and 490.413 is a classification given to a bridge which has any component in Poor or worse condition or the adequacy of the waterway opening provided by the bridge is determined to be insufficient to the point of causing overtopping with intolerable traffic interruptions. Beginning with calendar year 2018 and thereafter, structurally deficient as used in §§ 490.411 and 490.413 is a classification given to a bridge which has any component in Poor or worse condition.
(a) There are three classifications for the purpose of assessing bridge condition. They are:
(1) Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Good condition;
(2) Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Fair condition; and
(3) Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Poor condition.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) To carry out the NHPP, two of the three classifications are performance measures for State DOTs to use to assess bridge condition on the NHS. They are:
(1) Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Good condition; and
(2) Percentage of NHS bridges classified as in Poor condition.
(d) Determination of Good and Poor conditions are described in § 490.409.
(a) The bridge measures in § 490.407 shall be calculated in accordance with this section and used by State DOTs and MPOs to carry out the bridge condition related requirements of this part and by FHWA to make the significant progress determination specified in § 490.109.
(b) The condition of bridges carrying the NHS, which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS, shall be classified as Good, Fair, or Poor following the criteria specified in this paragraph. The assignment of a classification of Good, Fair, or Poor shall be based on the bridge's condition ratings for NBI Items 58—Deck, 59—Superstructure, 60—Substructure, and 62—Culverts. For the purposes of national performance measures under the NHPP, the method of assessment to determine the classification of a bridge will be the minimum of condition rating method (i.e., the condition ratings for lowest rating of a bridge's 3 NBI Items, 58—Deck, 59—Superstructure, and 60—Substructure). For culverts, the rating of its NBI Item, 62—Culverts, will determine its classification. The bridges carrying the NHS which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS will be classified as Good, Fair, or Poor based on the following criteria:
(1) Good: When the lowest rating of the 3 NBI items for a bridge (Items 58—Deck, 59—Superstructure, 60—Substructure) is 7, 8, or 9, the bridge will be classified as Good. When the rating of NBI item for a culvert (Item 62—Culverts) is 7, 8, or 9, the culvert will be classified as Good.
(2) Fair: When the lowest rating of the 3 NBI items for a bridge is 5 or 6, the bridge will be classified as Fair. When the rating of NBI item for a culvert is 5 or 6, the culvert will be classified as Fair.
(3) Poor: When the lowest rating of the 3 NBI items for a bridge is 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0, the bridge will be classified as Poor. When the rating of NBI item for a culvert is 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0, the culvert will be classified as Poor.
(c) The bridge measures specified in § 490.407(c) shall be calculated for the applicable bridges per paragraph (a) that pertain to each target established by the State DOT or MPO in §§ 490.105(e) and 490.105(f), respectively, as follows:
(1) For § 490.407(c)(1), the measure for the percentage of bridges classified as in Good condition shall be computed and reported to the one tenth of a percent as follows:
Where:
GOOD = total number of the applicable bridges, where their condition is Good per paragraph (b)(1) of this section;
g = a bridge determined to be in Good condition per paragraph (b)(1) of this section;
Length = corresponding value of NBI Item 49—Structure Length for every applicable bridge;
Width = corresponding value of NBI Item 52—Deck Width or value of Item 32 Approach Roadway Width for culverts where the roadway is on a fill [i.e., traffic does not directly run on the top slab (or wearing surface) of the culvert] and the headwalls do not affect the flow of traffic for every applicable bridge.
s = an applicable bridge per paragraph (b) of this section; and
TOTAL = total number of the applicable bridges specified in paragraph (b) of this section.
(2) For § 490.407(c)(2), the measure for the percentage of bridges classified as in Poor condition shall be computed and reported to the one tenth of a percent as follows:
Where:
POOR = total number of the applicable bridges, where their condition is Poor per paragraph (b)(3) of this section;
p = a bridge determined to be in Poor condition per paragraph (b)(3) of this section;
Length = corresponding value of NBI Item 49—Structure Length for every applicable bridge;
Width = corresponding value of NBI Item 52—Deck Width or value of Item 32 Approach Roadway Width for culverts where the roadway is on a fill [i.e., traffic does not directly run on the top slab (or wearing surface) of the culvert] and the headwalls do not affect the flow of traffic for every applicable bridge.
s = an applicable bridge per paragraph (b) of this section; and
TOTAL = total number of the applicable bridges specified in paragraph (b) of this section.
(d) The measures identified in § 490.407(c) shall be used to establish targets in accordance with § 490.105 and report targets and conditions described in § 490.107.
(e) The NBI Items included in this section are found in the Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges, which is incorporated by reference (see § 490.111).
(a) State DOTs will maintain bridges so that the percentage of the deck area of bridges classified as Structurally Deficient does not exceed 10.0 percent. This minimum condition level is applicable to bridges carrying the NHS, which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS within a State, and bridges carrying the NHS that cross a State border.
(b) For the purposes of carrying out this section and § 490.413, a bridge will be classified as Structurally Deficient when one of its NBI Items, 58—Deck, 59—Superstructure, 60—Substructure, or 62—Culverts, is 4 or less, or when one of its NBI Items, 67—Structural Evaluation or 71—Waterway Adequacy, is 2 or less. Beginning with calendar year 2018 and thereafter, a bridge will be classified as Structurally Deficient when one of its NBI Items, 58—Deck, 59—Superstructure, 60—Substructure, or 62—Culverts, is 4 or less.
(c) For all bridges carrying the NHS, which includes on- and off-ramps connected to the NHS and bridges carrying the NHS that cross a State border, FHWA shall calculate a ratio of the total deck area of all bridges classified as Structurally Deficient to the total deck area of all applicable bridges for each State. The percentage of deck area of bridges classified as Structurally Deficient shall be computed by FHWA to the one tenth of a percent as follows:
Where:
Structurally Deficient = total number of the applicable bridges, where their classification is Structurally Deficient per this section and § 490.413;
SD = a bridge classified as Structurally Deficient per this section and § 490.413;
Length = corresponding value of NBI Item 49—Structure Length for every applicable bridge;
Width = corresponding value of NBI Item 52—Deck Width
Beginning with calendar year 2018 and thereafter, Width = corresponding value of NBI Item 52—Deck Width or value of Item 32 Approach Roadway Width for culverts where the roadway is on a fill [i.e., traffic does not directly run on the top slab (or wearing surface) of the culvert] and the headwalls do not affect the flow of traffic for every applicable bridge.
s = an applicable bridge per this section and § 490.413; and
TOTAL = total number of the applicable bridges specified in this section and § 490.413.
(d) The FHWA will annually determine the percentage of the deck area of NHS bridges classified as Structurally Deficient for each State DOT and identify State DOTs that do not meet the minimum level of condition for NHS bridges based on data cleared in the NBI as of June 15 of each year. The FHWA will notify State DOTs of their compliance with 23 U.S.C. 119(f)(2) prior to October 1 of the year in which the determination was made.
(e) For the purposes of carrying out this section, State DOTs will annually submit their most current NBI data on highway bridges to FHWA no later than March 15 of each year.
(f) The NBI Items included in this section are found in the Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges, which is incorporated by reference (see § 490.111).
(a) If FHWA determines for the 3-year period preceding the date of the determination, that more than 10.0 percent of the total deck area of bridges in the State on the NHS is located on bridges that have been classified as Structurally Deficient, the following requirements will apply.
(1) During the fiscal year following the determination, the State DOT shall obligate and set aside in an amount equal to 50 percent of funds apportioned to such State for fiscal year 2009 to carry out 23 U.S.C. 144 (as in effect the day before enactment of MAP-21) from amounts apportioned to a State for a fiscal year under 23 U.S.C. 104(b)(1) only for eligible projects on bridges on the NHS.
(2) The set-aside and obligation requirement for bridges on the NHS in a State in paragraph (a) of this section for a fiscal year shall remain in effect for each subsequent fiscal year until such time as less than 10 percent of the total deck area of bridges in the State on the NHS is located on bridges that have been classified as Structurally Deficient as determined by FHWA.
(b) The FHWA will make the first determination by October 1, 2016, and each fiscal year thereafter.