FHWA Guidance Regarding Bridge/Tunnel Inspections During COVID-19

State and Local Agency Bridge/Tunnel Owners, Inspectors, and Consultants.  Please see the below guidance from the Federal Highway Administration with regard to inspections and the current Coronavirus COVID-19 situation.  If you have questions regarding upcoming inspections and COVID-19, please contact the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Allie Nadjarian - Structure Inspection Program Manager

(517) 331-6602

NadjarianA@michigan.gov

-OR-

Brian Zakrzewski - NBIS Program Manager

(517) 243-9473

ZakrzewskiB@michigan.gov

 

 

To the Attention of Division Administrators and Division Directors:

 

DUE DATE:  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes the challenges that many of your State partners are facing with regard to highway bridge and tunnel inspections during the current and evolving circumstances.  FHWA also recognizes that our State partners share our mission that public safety is the top priority, and that the health and safety of our staff is as equally important.  A proactive risk-based approach to bridge and tunnel inspection will ensure the safety of the traveling public and our transportation workforce. 

 

FHWA does not have the authority to waive the requirements of 23 U.S.C. 144, National Bridge and Tunnel Inventory and Inspection Standards, or its implementing regulations, 23 CFR 650 Subparts C and E.  However, FHWA does have flexibility in the statutorily required oversight of State compliance with those regulations.  As we have done in the past through our established process for highway bridge and tunnel inspections impacted by natural disasters (flooding, forest fires, hurricanes, etc.), FHWA will assess how incurred delays will affect compliance.  Some factors that FHWA will consider in determining compliance include how the State managed the bridges and tunnels with late inspections (e.g., how a State determined priority for inspection or limited the length of delay), and how the State ensured that any safety risks posed in the interim were mitigated. 

 

In States where inspections are delayed, it is important that the Division Office work with their State partner to document and implement a risk-based response plan that maintains bridge and tunnel safety during the delays, and produces the documentation needed to support the annual compliance determination.  The Bridge Safety Engineer assigned to your Division and others from my staff are ready to support this effort.   

 

These are both unprecedented and difficult times. Thank you for your steadfast attention to public safety, and the health and well-being of those performing highway bridge and tunnel inspections.