Despite the advances made over time in Bridge Management Systems (BMS), many state DOTs face challenges in developing, implementing and maintaining data-driven, risk- and performance-based management at a system level. While most agencies have succeeded in establishing processes to maintain inventory data and manage the inspection process, many still struggle to utilize their BMS to help support decision-making utilizing available data while considering the risk and performance implications of their investment decisions.
This scan will help identify common features and approaches being used by agencies to successfully use BMS within the overall transportation asset management context. Particular attention will be given to examination of leading practices for predicting future bridge condition and developing deterioration curves. The Scan Team will investigate agency practices and case studies that illuminate such concerns as (1) data collection and management, (2) performance measure tracking and reporting, (3) use of component- and element-level data to track and forecast bridge condition, (4) usage of BMS data to convey condition information, and (5) agencies’ knowledge transfer strategies to sustain staff qualified to operate their BMS.
Implementation and Impact
Following the two virtual scan team workshops in 2020 and 2021, the scan team worked at the state, regional, and national levels to advance scan findings. Highlights of these activities include:
At the state and regional levels, scan findings were presented to the Midwest Bridge Preservation Partnership.
At the national / international levels, the scan team presented the scan outcomes to an AASHTO Bridge Management Evaluation and Rehabilitation T-18 breakout session, the Bridge Management Committee meeting during the 2022 TRB Annual Meeting, the FHWA Asset Management Task Group, the FHWA Bridge Preservation Expert Task Group, the AASHTO TSP2 Bridge Preservation Technical Committee, the AASHTO Bridge Management/Bridge Management User Group, the Transportation Asset Management and Bridge Management Panel Discussion during the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting, TSP-2 Bridge Preservation Bridge Management Working Group, the TSP-2 Bridge Preservation SEBPP 2023 Annual Meeting and the 2023 AASHTO COBS Asset Management mid-year meeting.
TRB hosted a webinar based on the outcomes of this scan entitled Bridge Management Systems for Strategic Asset Management. To view the slides or obtain a copy of the webinar recording, visit the webinar page on the National Academies website.
Scan chair, Chad Allen, provided perspectives on the scan outcomes:
Scan Members
- Chad Allen, City of Seattle DOT, Scan Chair
- Kevin Marshia, Vermont AOT
- Richard Runyen, Pennsylvania DOT
- Chester Kolota, Maine DOT
- Paul Vaught, Louisiana DOTD
- Eric Christie, Alabama DOT
- Todd Springer, Virginia DOT
- Felix Padilla, Florida DOT
- Scott Neubauer, Iowa DOT
- Rebecca Curtis, Michigan DOT
- Edward Lutgen, Minnesota DOT
- Mike Johnson, Caltrans
- DeWayne Wilson, Montana DOT
- Derek Constable, FHWA
- Basak Bektas, Minnesota State University, Subject Matter Expert
Ready Results Brief
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