REP. Loebsack Offers Amendment to the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection ACT of 2008

Amendment Will Require Study of Flood Risks on Bridges

Washington, D.C. – Jul 23 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, Congressman Dave Loebsack offered an amendment during House debate of the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2008, H.R. 3999.  The Congressman’s amendment, which was approved by voice vote, will revise the bill to require the Secretary of Transportation to study flood risks posed to bridges in the 500 year flood plain.

“The serious risk flooding poses to bridges became overwhelming apparent following the record breaking floods that affected Iowa and other Midwest states last month,” said Congressman Loebsack.  “By thoroughly studying flood risks, we can better identify safety issues that may endanger people’s lives; assist federal, state, and local governments in preparing for major flood events; and make adjustments to transportation policy to further ensure the public’s safety.”

In the study required by Congressman Loebsack’s amendment, the Secretary of Transportation be required need to evaluate the safety, serviceability, essentiality for public use, and public safety, including the potential impacts to regional and national freight and passenger mobility, if access to the bridge is restricted or diminished due to a flood similar to that experienced in Iowa last month.  With this additional information, the Department of Transportation can make better informed decisions when creating a risk-based prioritization system for the replacement and rehabilitation of deficient bridges.

The National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2008 contains provisions to improve the safety of the nation’s highway bridges, strengthen bridge inspection requirements and standards, and authorize an additional $1 billion in FY 2009 for reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges on the National Highway System (NHS).  Specifically, the legislation includes the following provisions:

•    Requires the Secretary to develop a system to assign a risk-based priority to repair, rehabilitate, or replace each structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridge, establishing a new level of accountability in bridge repair and replacement.

•    Requires the National Academy of Sciences to conduct an independent review of the Department of Transportation’s process for assigning risk-based priorities under the Highway Bridge Program.

•    Requires Federal Highway Administration to immediately update National Bridge Inspection Standards and requires uniformity among States in conducting inspections and evaluations.

•    Requires States to inspect structurally deficient bridges each year using the best practicable technologies and methods.  Requires States to inspect all other bridges every two years.

•    Authorizes $1 billion in FY 2009 to reconstruct structurally deficient bridges on the National Highway System.

•    Funds are distributed by formula pursuant to Federal-aid Highway apportionments under the Highway Bridge Program targeted to Federal-aid highway bridges.  No Congressional or Administration earmarks are allowed under the program.

Passage of the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2008 is expected tomorrow, Thursday, July 24, 2008 upon conclusion of consideration of the bill.

Contact: Gabby Adler 202.225.6576