Title: Use of Bridge Management for Agency Decisions in Planning, Programming, and Performance Tracking
Abstract: Most state departments of transportation employ a bridge management system (BMS) to assist in monitoring bridge condition and performance and identifying needs for work. Some agencies also use a BMS for more advanced or specialized applications. The objective of this study has been to gather information on how bridge management information is used for agency decision making on bridge investments and resource allocation, considering processes such as planning, programming, budgeting, and setting and tracking performance objectives and targets. While bridge management information is used in resource allocation decisions in all transportation agencies that were included in this study, the specific practices, analytic capabilities, and performance measures that are used differ, in some cases significantly. Some agencies apply bridge management techniques that are at the state of the art, but the majority appear to use only a subset of existing BMS capabilities. Nonetheless, the agencies that were studied appeared to have tailored their bridge-related practices and information to their agency’s philosophy of bridge management, as well as to the financial, technical, and managerial environment in which planning, programming, and resource allocation take place. A number of agencies are working to advance their bridge management practices through BMS customization, e.g., in the definition of state-specific measures of condition and performance. Two trends that may influence bridge management practice in the future are the growing application of asset management principles and methods, and a U.S. Department of Transportation review of the National Bridge Inspection Standards that is now under way.
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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