New FRA bridge inspection requirements

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FRA Press Release
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Federal Railroad Administrator (FRA) Joseph Szabo today announced a Final Rule requiring railroad track owners to adopt and follow specific procedures to protect the safety of their bridges, and to strengthen federal oversight of railroad bridge maintenance programs. This rule is a requirement under the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
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The move to institutionalize engineering and inspection best practices took hold in the industry in 1995, but took a large step in January, 2009, when FRA published an amendment to its bridge policy – since adopted by the industry – to include the Essential Elements of Railroad Bridge Management Programs. The Essential Elements are included in the Final Rule in accordance with the Rail Safety Improvement Act and provide railroad track owners with a uniform, comprehensive set of components for inclusion in their bridge management programs. With this information, a track owner may develop a single, comprehensive set of instructions, information and data as guidance for his or her employees who are responsible for the management, inspection, maintenance, and safety of railroad bridges.
The Final Rule is available at: [www.fra.dot.gov]