Update on Historic Bridges MaryAnn Naber Federal Highway Administration June 17, 2008

FHWA Projects

Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program 23 U.S.C. Section Congress finds and declares that it is in the vital interest of the United States that a highway bridge program be carried out to enable States to improve the condition of their highway bridges over waterways … through replacement and rehabilitation of bridges that the States and the Secretary determine are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete and through systematic preventive maintenance of bridges.

144 (d) Participation (1) Bridge replacement and rehabilitation (1) Bridge replacement and rehabilitation (A) replacing the bridge with a comparable facility; or (A) replacing the bridge with a comparable facility; or (B) rehabilitating the bridge (B) rehabilitating the bridge Based on structurally deficient and functionally obsolete highway bridges Based on structurally deficient and functionally obsolete highway bridges SR < 50 for replacement SR < 50 for replacement SR <80 for rehabilitation SR <80 for rehabilitation Bridges to be rehabbed must have potential for an extended service life Bridges to be rehabbed must have potential for an extended service life Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program

144 (d) Participation (2) Types of Assistance (2) Types of Assistance (A) Painting (A) Painting (B) Seismic retrofit * (B) Seismic retrofit * (C) Systematic preventive maintenance * (C) Systematic preventive maintenance * (D) Installation of scour countermeasures * (D) Installation of scour countermeasures * (E) Application of environmentally acceptable, minimally corrosive anti-icing and de-icing compositions (E) Application of environmentally acceptable, minimally corrosive anti-icing and de-icing compositions * Does not have to be eligible for replacement or rehab Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program

Historic Bridge Program 23 U.S.C. 144 (o) 23 U.S.C. 144 (o) (1) Coordination - encourages the inventory, retention, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and future study of historic bridges (1) Coordination - encourages the inventory, retention, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and future study of historic bridges (2) Inventory (2) Inventory (5) Historic bridge defined - any bridge that is listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. (5) Historic bridge defined - any bridge that is listed on, or eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic Bridge Program (3) Eligibility - Reasonable costs associated with actions to preserve or reduce the impact of a project on the historic integrity of historic bridges shall be eligible as reimbursable project costs under this title if the load capacity and safety features of the bridge are adequate to serve the intended use for the life of the bridge (3) Eligibility - Reasonable costs associated with actions to preserve or reduce the impact of a project on the historic integrity of historic bridges shall be eligible as reimbursable project costs under this title if the load capacity and safety features of the bridge are adequate to serve the intended use for the life of the bridge Except for a bridge which is no longer used for motorized vehicular traffic, the costs eligible as reimbursable project costs pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed the estimated cost of demolition of such bridge. Except for a bridge which is no longer used for motorized vehicular traffic, the costs eligible as reimbursable project costs pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed the estimated cost of demolition of such bridge.

Historic Bridge Program 144 (o) (4) Preservation – A State proposing to demolish a historic bridge for a replacement project shall first make the bridge available for donation to a State, locality, or responsible private entity who agrees to: 144 (o) (4) Preservation – A State proposing to demolish a historic bridge for a replacement project shall first make the bridge available for donation to a State, locality, or responsible private entity who agrees to: (A) maintain the bridge and its historic significance; and (A) maintain the bridge and its historic significance; and (B) assume all future legal and financial responsibility. (B) assume all future legal and financial responsibility.

Historic Bridge Program 144 (o) (4) Preservation, continued Costs to preserve the historic bridge shall be eligible as reimbursable project costs under this chapter up to an amount not to exceed the cost of demolition. Costs to preserve the historic bridge shall be eligible as reimbursable project costs under this chapter up to an amount not to exceed the cost of demolition. Any bridge preserved pursuant to this paragraph shall thereafter not be eligible for any other funds authorized pursuant to this title (Title 23) Any bridge preserved pursuant to this paragraph shall thereafter not be eligible for any other funds authorized pursuant to this title (Title 23)

Rehabilitation?

Section 4(f) 23 U.S.C. 138 and 49 U.S.C. 303 The Secretary of Transportation may approve a project that uses a Section 4(f) resource only if: The Secretary of Transportation may approve a project that uses a Section 4(f) resource only if: There is no prudent and feasible alternative to such use, and There is no prudent and feasible alternative to such use, and The project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the resource; OR The project includes all possible planning to minimize harm to the resource; OR The use is determined to be de minimis The use is determined to be de minimis A proposed action will use a historic bridge when the action will impair the integrity of the bridge either by rehabilitation or demolition A proposed action will use a historic bridge when the action will impair the integrity of the bridge either by rehabilitation or demolition

Programmatic 4(f) Evaluation 1983 Programmatic Evaluation may be applied when none of the following are prudent and feasible: 1983 Programmatic Evaluation may be applied when none of the following are prudent and feasible: 1. Do nothing 1. Do nothing 2. Build replacement on new location without affecting historic integrity of a historic bridge 2. Build replacement on new location without affecting historic integrity of a historic bridge 3. Rehab historic bridge without affecting its historic integrity 3. Rehab historic bridge without affecting its historic integrity The Bridge is not a National Historic Landmark, AND The Bridge is not a National Historic Landmark, AND Agreement has been reached under Section 106 Agreement has been reached under Section 106

Tools to preserve historic bridges Maintenance Maintenance Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Adoption Adoption Relocation Relocation Management plans Management plans Programmatic Programmatic Agreements Agreements Standard treatments Standard treatments Historic Bridge Alliance Historic Bridge Alliance

“If it’s in a coffee table book, don’t even think about replacing it!” -- Frank Nelson, ODOT

For more information:  FHWA Environmental Website  FHWA Historic Preservation Website  AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence  Historic Bridge Alliance  National Historic Preservation Act  36 CFR Part 800 – Section 106 regs