Municipal Bridges – Maintenance Recommendations for Municipalities
By Daniel S. Crovo, P. E., District 5 Bridge Engineer

The lack of simple bridge maintenance in many Massachusetts municipalities is significantly affecting bridge structural capacity, personal safety, and overall condition. Under Federal law, MassDOT inspects, or receives inspection reports on all bridges on public highways in the state every two years. These reports must be reviewed by MassDOT within 90 days of the field inspection. The reports are then sent to each municipality. (more…)

A Read to Consider…A Procedure for Assessing and Planning Nighttime Highway Construction and Maintenance – NCHRP Report 475

Preface: Increasingly, it is becoming necessary to conduct construction and maintenance on operational highways while the highway continues to carry its normal traffic volume, or close to its normal volume. The public and community often expect that such work will result in little or no disruption to normal travel patterns and not limit access to land use along the highway corridor. There is also increasing concern for the safety of the traveling public and workers at highway work sites. In addition, highway agencies are under increasing pressure to complete the work in a manner that addresses quality, cost, and scheduling criteria, enabling construction and repair workers to “get in, get out, and stay out.” (more…)