HR 3663
Bridge Protection Act
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Bill overview
The Bridge Protection Act aims to improve the safety of older covered bridges by requiring owners to conduct vessel collision vulnerability assessments. If a bridge is deemed at risk, owners must develop and implement a risk reduction plan within a year, or they may be ineligible for future federal grants. The bill also establishes a grant program to fund assessments and physical improvements for these bridges, alongside the creation of an interdisciplinary bridge safety team to oversee compliance and maintain a national database.
Key provisions
- Requires vessel collision vulnerability assessments for covered bridges.
- Mandates risk reduction plans for bridges exceeding a risk threshold.
- Creates a grant program for assessments and physical improvements.
- Establishes an interdisciplinary bridge safety team within the Department of Transportation.
- Defines ‘covered bridge’ as a bridge over navigable water built before 1996.
- Requires integration of assessment results into the National Bridge Inventory.
- Sets a deadline for integrating assessment data into the National Bridge Inventory.
- Authorizes $500,000,000 in appropriations for the grant program over five years.
Who is affected
- Bridge Owners
- Federal Highway Administration
- Coast Guard
- Corps of Engineers
- Department of Transportation
Notable changes
- Introduces a requirement for vessel collision vulnerability assessments for older bridges.
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 3663
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish requirements for owners of certain bridges, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Bridge Protection Act
.
As a condition for receiving funds under this title, the Secretary of Transportation shall require any owner of a covered bridge to conduct vessel collision vulnerability assessments using the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Method II and submit the results of such assessment to the Secretary.
Beginning on October 1, 2026, if an owner of a bridge required to develop a risk reduction plan under paragraph (1) fails to develop and implement such plan, the owner shall be ineligible for any Federal grant relating to such bridge, unless such owner receives an extension to implement such plan from the Secretary of Transportation.
covered bridgemeans a bridge over navigable water that was built before 1996.
The team established under subsection (a) shall be comprised of detailees from the Federal Highway Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Corps of Engineers.
A recipient of a grant under this section may use the grant provided to carry out assessments or make physical improvements to a covered bridge.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program under this section, $500,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
covered bridgemeans a bridge over navigable water that was built before 1996.
The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: