Deldot's New Bridge Inspection Manual

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) utilizes both in-house and consultant inspection teams to assess the condition of the State’s bridges. Previous documentation on inspection and reporting standards consisted of a collection of memos accumulated over numerous years. DelDOT turned to Pennoni to develop a single source for this information that would be available to current and future inspection teams.

The manual covers all bridges for which DelDOT holds reporting responsibility to the Federal Highway Administration. It incorporates federal and state law as well as industry and regional best practices to cover qualifications necessary for various roles; inspection types, frequencies, and procedures; reporting and recommendation practices for various inspection types and findings; information and references for the safe completion of bridge inspections; emergency response procedures; necessary forms and sketches; and quality assurance and control standards. Pennoni worked closely with DelDOT’s Bridge Management staff to develop the various sections of the manual.