H.R. 4170: Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act of 2025

The Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act of 2025 aims to enhance safety and longevity for bridges through specific measures focusing on corrosion prevention and repair. Here are the main provisions of the bill:

Corrosion Prevention for Bridges

The bill defines a few key terms:

• Applicable Bridge Projects: These are bridge projects that receive federal funding for construction, replacement, or maintenance, including railroad bridges.
• Certified Contractor: A firm that has been officially recognized as capable of handling specific aspects of a bridge project, determined by a third-party organization.
• Qualified Training Program: A training program focused on corrosion control that meets recognized industry standards.

Requirements for Bridge Projects

Entities responsible for bridge projects must meet the following criteria:

• Only use certified contractors for certain project aspects, such as surface preparation and coating of bridge materials.
• Implement a corrosion management system based on recognized industry standards that includes surface preparation, protective coatings, and personnel training to manage corrosion.
• Ensure that contractors provide documentation proving they meet the required certification standards for working on bridge projects.

Contractors also have to train their staff to ensure high-quality work on corrosion-related tasks.

Federal Grant Funding

The bill allows federal funds to be used for corrosion control work on rail bridges, expanding the scope of existing funding to cover more areas related to bridge maintenance and safety.

Study on Weathering Steel

The bill recognizes that weathering steel is commonly used in bridge construction due to its weather resistance, but points out the need for more research into its vulnerabilities. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study within 18 months of the bill's passage. This study will focus on:

• Identifying best practices for inspecting corrosion on weathering steel bridges.
• Determining effective methods for addressing corrosion issues.

The results of this study must be reported to relevant Senate and House committees and shared with state transportation departments and local governments responsible for bridges.

Implementation and Oversight

The bill also establishes requirements for inspection and oversight to ensure compliance by contractors and the effective implementation of corrosion management systems.

Relevant Companies

None found.