Skip to content

Bridges & Highways

Investment in critical transportation elements must be protected from deterioration to improve the quality of life for current and future generations.

  • Slider bridge highway 1a
  • Slider bridge highway 2
  • Slider bridge highway 3
  • Slider bridge highway 4
  • Slider bridge highway 5
  • Slider bridge highway 6
  • Slider bridge highway 7
  • Slider bridge highway 8
  • Slider bridge highway 9
  • Slider bridge highway 10

Transportation infrastructure, such as bridges, guardrail, mechanically stabilized earth walls, and reinforcing steel are paramount in connecting cities and states across the nation and facilitate the movement of goods and peoples to stimulate the economy.  The new investment in these critical transportation elements must be protected from deterioration for current and future generations.

Much of the existing infrastructure, including 42% of bridges, are more than 50 years old. Currently 1 in 5 miles of highway and major roads as well as approximately 45,000 bridges are in poor condition across the country. The underinvestment in infrastructure over the past decade or more has led to a backlog of repairs, particularly along the “last mile” in counties, cities, and local municipalities. The IIJA represents the largest investment in roads and bridges infrastructure since the construction of the Eisenhower Interstate system.

More about Bridges & Highways

Utilizing hot-dip galvanized steel and duplex systems can help federal, state, county, and local officials achieve 100-year bridge designs and protect mechanically stabilized earth walls, reinforcing steel as well as guardrail and other safety elements to maximize the taxpayers' infrastructure investment for future generations.

Bridges in poor condition in the US
45,000
Minimum funding every state will receive for bridges
$45 million

Hot-dip galvanized steel has been specified in North American bridge and highway infrastructure for more than 60 years, including the first fully galvanized Stearns Bayou Bridge in 1966. With this generational investment in our nation’s infrastructure, it is imperative to design bridges and other highway elements with sustainable, long-lasting materialsIn fact, a recent multi-part study by U. Delaware for the American Institute of Steel Construction determined HDG bridges have the highest average Superstructure Condition Rating (SCR) and best overall performance.

  • Card HDG bridges

    Design Guide: HDG Bridges

    Best practices to ensure the highest quality, longest lasting HDG steel bridges.

  • GI Seminar Bridge

    Galvanize It! Seminar: Bridge Design

    Understanding both the benefits and limitations of galvanized steel will assist bridge engineers in evaluating if hot-dip galvanizing is a solution for their bridge project.

  • Galvanized Rebar 01

    Galvanized Rebar Website

    In many ways, galvanized rebar protects against corrosion to prevent spalling and deteriorated concrete, preserving our infrastructure for decades.

  • LCCC Bridge

    Life-Cycle Cost Calculator

    Use the Life-cycle Cost Calculator to compare the initial and life-cycle cost of hot-dip galvanizing to other common coating systems.