ABSTRACT
Once a bridge is constructed, it becomes the property of the owner or agency. The bridge owner is responsible for the maintenance of the bridge and ensuring the safety of the traveling public. Before the 1960s, little emphasis was given to inspection and maintenance of bridges in the United States. After the 1967 tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant in West Virginia, national interest in the inspection and maintenance arose considerably. The U.S. Congress passed the “Federal Highway Act of 1968,” which resulted in the establishment of the National Bridge Inspection Standard (NBIS). The NBIS sets the national policy regarding the bridge inspection procedure, inspection frequency, inspector qualifications, reporting format, and rating procedures.
