2405-1

Bridge Replacements (using Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program [HBRRP] Funding)

---

Title 23 CFR Section 650, Subpart D, and the current Federal Aid Policy Guide allows bridges on the current HBRRP Selection List to be replaced if they have a Sufficiency Rating below 50.

Bridges on the current HBRRP Selection List with a Sufficiency Rating above 50 may also be replaced if the widening and/or rehabilitation costs are more than the replacement costs.

The current HBRRP Selection List, which is updated annually, is kept by the Bridge Maintenance Section of the Office of Maintenance.

This TOPPS directive provides further criteria for bridge replacement projects and guidelines for determining which projects are eligible for HBRRP funds and how much of these funds can be used.

During Concept Development, the Bridge Maintenance Section of the Office of Maintenance will provide the Sufficiency Rating and will give a recommendation for replacement/widening on all bridge projects. The Project Manager should request this from the Bridge Maintenance Section of the Office of Maintenance.

Criteria for funding Bridge Replacements through the HBRRP:

• If the Sufficiency Rating is less than 50 and the bridge is on the current HBRRP Selection List, the bridge is eligible for replacement using HBRRP funding.

• If the Sufficiency Rating is over 50, a cost comparison should be performed that compares the cost of widening and/or rehabilitating the existing bridge to the cost of replacing the existing bridge. If the cost of widening is greater than the cost of replacing, the bridge is eligible for replacement using HBRRP funding.

• If the Sufficiency Rating is over 50, and the costs of widening and/or rehabilitating is less than the cost of replacement, only the costs associated with widening the existing bridge are eligible for HBRRP funding. The difference between the replacement costs and the widening/rehabilitation costs must come from other funding sources.

If the Sufficiency Rating is over 50, the Project Manager should submit the cost estimate for widening, which may include repair or rehabilitation work to the existing structure, and the cost estimate for replacement with the Concept Report. These cost estimates should include all items either associated with widening and rehabilitating the existing bridge as well as all costs associated with replacing the existing bridge.

Other Replacement Criteria for Bridges that have Sufficiency Ratings above 50 and may or may not be on the current HBRRP Selection List:

1. Any existing bridge which contains timber pile intermediate bents shall be replaced.
2. Existing bridges on the State Route System with intermediate pile bents containing 10 inch steel H-type piling shall be replaced.
3. Existing bridges on the state route system which have a current Load Rating of less than HS-20 shall be replaced.
4. Existing Local System bridges with intermediate pile bents containing 10 inch steel H-type piling and carrying an ADT greater than 4,000 VPD with a percent of trucks greater than 7% shall be replaced.
5. An existing “Load Limited” bridge shall be replaced unless a reasonable and cost effective rehabilitation can be accomplished.

Note: If the Sufficiency Rating is over 50 and the bridge on the current HBRRP Selection List will be replaced due to any of the above criteria, the amount of HBRRP funding will generally be limited to the costs for rehabilitating and widening the existing bridge. The remaining costs will have to come from other funding sources. The exception to this would be if the cost of widening were greater than the cost for replacement.

Document History:

• added to TOPPS: 9/23/97
• sufficiency ratings revised: 10/18/98
• clarified HBRP Funding requirements: 09/29/04
• reviewed: 10/06/05
• reviewed: 10/23/06
• reviewed: 02/25/08

Return to top of document

Return to TOPPS home page