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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Movable Bridge Construction Requirements</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286630</link>
      <description><![CDATA[There are approximately 800 highway movable bridges in service in the United States per the current National Bridge Inventory database, spread across 33 states. Of the total inventory of existing highway movable bridges in service, over 20 percent are classified as in poor condition and more than 300 exceed 70 years of age.

The lifecycle costs of movable bridges are highly influenced by construction quality, which is, in part, a function of the adequacy of the technical specifications by which a project is executed. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standard Specifications for Movable Highway Bridges, last updated in 1988, contained limited information on construction, primarily related to machinery. This document was replaced by the AASHTO LRFD Movable Highway Bridge Design Specifications in 2000, which does not contain specifications for construction. Since there are no AASHTO documents that address movable bridge construction, movable bridge owners would benefit from a comprehensive national document. Research is needed to develop comprehensive construction requirements for new and existing movable bridges.

The objective of this research is to develop construction requirements for new and existing movable bridges. It shall cover all components of movable bridges including (1) structural, (2) mechanical, and (3) electrical.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:09:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2286630</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Improving MDOT’s Movable Bridge Reliability and Operations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2040362</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Despite effective inspection and maintenance programs, MDOT’s movable bridges occasionally experience unscheduled downtime due to
electrical and mechanical component malfunction. Responding, troubleshooting, and performing repairs can be costly, and more importantly be
disruptive to users of the bridge.
Research is needed to do the following:
(1) identify best practices throughout the nation on movable bridge reliability and maintenance.
(2) determine what performance data to collect and parameters to track to allow workers to predict component malfunction proactively,
and how best to collect and display that information.
(3) identify enhancements or modifications to movable bridge components/hardware to improve reliability.
(4) validate MDOT’s current maintenance strategy and determine opportunities for improvement based on benefit-cost analysis.
(5) determine effective ways to optimize traffic operations during movable bridge downtime. A strategy using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to improve customer messaging is appealing to allow users to make more informed decisions on when to seek an
alternate route or wait for services to be restored.
Unscheduled downtime of movable bridges has negative mobility impacts, affecting emergency response services, the motoring public as well
as marine traffic. For example, the detour for the Charlevoix bascule bridge is over 60 miles in length and approximately 1.3 hours in additional
travel time. Component malfunction also often results in MDOT personnel responding outside of normal working hours to troubleshoot the
problem and perform repairs, including nights, weekends, and holidays.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:01:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2040362</guid>
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      <title>Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 424. AASHTO Guidelines for the Operation of Movable Bridges from Remote Locations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1651884</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As technology improves, an increasing number of highway and railroad bridge owners are exploring the possibility of operating their movable bridges from a remote location. The potential cost savings for State Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies and Local governments, railroad bridge owners and other bridge owners by replacing onsite movable bridge tenders with remote operating systems are expected to be significant. However, extensive research is required to evaluate the risks associated with remote operations, establish the requirements for reliable remote bridge operating systems, and establish Best Practices that ensure that both maritime and land traffic can transit these bridges safely with minimal delay. 
Of particular concern is the cyber-security risk associated with remote operating systems and considerations for reducing that risk. Cyber-attacks on these systems have the potential of causing major loss of life and severely damaging the nation's critical infrastructure, equaling or exceeding the effects of conventional attacks. The research will provide recommendations of establishing cyber-security for remote bridge operating systems.
The objective of this project was to propose AASHTO guidelines for best practices of reliable remote roadway movable bridge operating systems and evaluate risks associated with remote bridge operation. The guidelines will assist state DOT and other bridge owners to operate their bridges remotely. Remote operating systems should be compatible with other remote type systems in place within agencies for ease of deployment, training, and maintenance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Sep 2019 21:10:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1651884</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Update of the AASHTO LRFD Movable Highway Bridge Design Specifications</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1407093</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
NOTE

Agency's final report documenting the entire research efforts is available online as NCHRP WOD 314: Updating the AASHTO LRFD Movable Highway Bridge Design Specifications. It will be balloted by the AASHTO COBS in June 2022.
 
Of more than 600,000 bridges listed in the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory, close to 1,000 are movable highway bridges. The design and installation of structural, mechanical and electrical systems provide significant challenges for designers, contractors and owners in any movable highway bridge project. The primary design specifications for movable bridge design and construction is the AASHTO LRFD Movable Highway Bridge Design Specifications published in 2000 with 2002 interim revisions. The second edition of the specifications was published in 2007, and the most recent interim revisions were in 2015. Based on the input from movable highway bridge owners, designers and industry representatives, there is an immediate need to incorporate reliability-based design methodology and to reflect advances in electrical, mechanical, and traffic/marine safety systems into the current specifications.
 
The objectives of this research were to (1) develop a reliability-based methodology to design electrical, mechanical, and traffic/marine safety elements and systems for movable highway bridges and (2) propose revisions to the AASHTO LRFD Movable Highway Bridge Design Specifications including all sections.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 May 2016 14:54:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1407093</guid>
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