All highway bridges on public land must be regularly inspected by each state's transportation department, except for those that are federally owned, in which case the federal agencies are responsible. Each state transportation department must include a bridge inspection organization that is responsible for statewide inspection policies and procedures, quality assurance and control, and preparation and a bridge inventory. Components of a bridge inventory include bridge inspections, reports and load ratings.
As a program manager, you must have a minimum of 10 years of bridge inspection experience or be a registered professional. You must also successfully complete an FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge-inspection course. To qualify as a team leader, you must have a minimum of five years bridge inspection experience, have successfully completed an FHWA bridge-inspection course or be certified as a Level III or IV Bridge Safety Inspector by the National Society of Professional Engineer's program for National Certification in Engineering Technologies.
All surveying must take place under the supervision of a professional engineer or licensed land surveyor, who determines the construction area. The construction area must then be cleared of all vegetation and debris, including previous structures, pavements, pipes or fences. Any portion of a bridge that exists within the construction area must also be cleared. Drainage of the roadway must be ensured at all times during the construction process. No slope should be cut vertically during construction to prevent landslides or for any other reason the engineer decrees. All debris removed, including debris created during the construction process, must be removed and transported to the appropriate trash facility.
