The Bridge Protection Act establishes new federal requirements for assessing and mitigating collision risks for older bridges over navigable waters to qualify for federal funding.
Jefferson Van Drew
Representative
NJ-2
The Bridge Protection Act establishes new federal requirements for owners of older bridges over navigable waters seeking federal funding. These owners must conduct vulnerability assessments against ship or barge collisions using the AASHTO Method II. If a bridge is deemed high-risk, owners must implement a mitigation plan or risk losing future federal grants for that structure. The Act also creates a dedicated grant program to help fund these necessary safety assessments and physical improvements.
Bridge Protection Act Mandates Collision Checks for Older Water-Crossing Bridges, Backed by $500M Fund
The new Bridge Protection Act is straightforward: it targets bridges built before 1996 that cross navigable water, mandating that their owners assess how vulnerable they are to being hit by a ship or barge. This isn't just a suggestion; it’s a requirement tied directly to future federal funding. If an assessment using the specific AASHTO Method II shows a bridge is at high risk, the owner has one year to create and start a plan to lower that risk. Fail to get that plan in place by October 1, 2026, and that bridge could lose access to federal grants, unless the Secretary of Transportation steps in with an extension.
The Check-Up for Critical Infrastructure
Think of this as a mandatory, high-stakes safety inspection for our aging water-crossing infrastructure. If you drive over a major bridge every day, this bill is about making sure that structure can handle a worst-case scenario. The bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to form a new, specialized Interagency Bridge Safety Office, pulling in experts from the Federal Highway Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Their job is to oversee these new rules, offer technical advice, and build a national database of bridge vulnerabilities. This centralized approach means better data collection and more consistent safety standards across the country.
Where the Money Comes From
Mandates are great, but fixes cost money, which is why the bill includes a new competitive grant program. Congress has authorized $500 million between fiscal years 2026 and 2030 specifically to help bridge owners pay for these required vulnerability assessments and the physical upgrades needed to reduce collision risk. For a state or local government agency responsible for an old, complex bridge, this grant money is crucial. Without it, the cost of the mandated checks and fixes would fall entirely on local budgets, potentially delaying other necessary roadwork or forcing tax increases.
The Compliance Clock Is Ticking
For bridge owners, the clock is ticking, especially for those with high-risk structures. Missing the deadline to implement a risk reduction plan could mean losing access to federal funds for that specific bridge after October 1, 2026. While the DOT Secretary can grant extensions, the criteria for those extensions aren't spelled out in the bill, which introduces a bit of administrative gray area. This could be a point of stress for smaller agencies trying to navigate complex engineering projects and secure funding quickly.
Security vs. Transparency
One detail worth noting is how the vulnerability data will be handled. The Secretary of Transportation is required to plug the assessment results into the National Bridge Inventory but has the power to keep any sensitive security data private if sharing it would put the bridges at risk. While protecting critical infrastructure is paramount, this provision means that the public—and even non-government watchdogs—might not get full transparency on every bridge's specific risk level, a common trade-off when dealing with national security concerns.