SDDOT –Load Rating & Permitting

1. SDDOT –Load Rating & Permitting Todd Thompson, PE – Bridge Management Engineer

2. SDDOT – Bridge Organization • 1803 State Highway Bridges • Inspected by SDDOT region staff • Load Rated by SDDOT Bridge Office • 3974 Local Government Bridges • Inspected by consultants thru Local Transportation Program Office of SDDOT • Load Rated by consultants

3. SDDOT – State Highway Bridges Bridge Load Rating History One of first states to use BARS in early 1970’s, Even before it was an AASHTO product Part of Virtis development since 1996 Actually 1992 – Initiated a UG Resolution (with George Conner) to create a PC based load rating tool Dual use of BARS and Virtis during early 2000’s Since late 2000’s – Virtis primary load rating tool Majority of bridges are load rated using Load Factor method. Exception – Timber - ASD

4. SDDOT – Bridge Load Rating Bridge Load Rating Organization Part of one FTE devoted to load rating Training another person so there is a check Metric #4 – Qualifications of personnel Job Description requires PE license Metric #13 – Inspection procedures – Load Rating Bridges – load rated – not a problem Culverts – not load rated – may be a problem

5. SDDOT – Bridge Load Rating Metric #14 – Inspection Procedures – Post or Restrict Any bridges requiring posting are posted Only 1 state highway structure posted

6. SDDOT – Bridge Load Rating LRFR requirements on new bridges Easily accomplished with Virtis product Most bridges designed with Opis Can load rate for either LF or LRFR Difficulty is storing data in Pontis and reporting to FHWA

7. SDDOT – Overweight Permitting SDAPS (South Dakota Automated Permitting System) Bentley Product (formerly CW Beilfuss – contractor for BARS product) Originally used BARS output for load rating Transitioning to VIRTIS data via LARS and Connector Every “over legal” truck is analyzed over every bridge it crosses in permitting system Non-Standard Gage evaluated by Bridge Staff using Virtis

8. SDDOT – Overweight Permitting Increasing number of overweight permit requests over the years Using SDAPS has diminished demand of bridge staff drastically Pre-SDAPS – about 1/3 FTE Post-SDAPS – about 1/10 FTE Started SDAPS development in 2001 and implemented about 2003

9. State Issues – Load Rating What to do if we don’t meet Bridge Metrics? Load Rating culverts will take considerable time and effort 526 Culverts on State System that are NBI Hiring additional State FTE’s to do the work is impossible

10. Local Government Issues What to do if they don’t meet Bridge Metrics? Hiring additional State FTE’s to do the work is impossible SDDOT hire consultants to carry out work to inspect and load rate? State contract to post local bridges? State withhold Federal Funds for their projects until they meet Bridge Metrics? Each county responsible for evaluating any overweight truck (most have no system or method)

11. Other Issues No local push for increased legal loads Bridge Formula B – uncapped (grandfathered in) Interstate – truckers can self-issue an over 80K permit and travel easily Non-Interstate – SDAPS allows these legal trucks to travel as long as they meet Formula B Many trucks running 140K and are “legal” Bridge Metrics for “other” NBI items will impact whole program