Bridge Protection Act

This legislation requires owners of "covered bridges"—defined as bridges built before 1996 over navigable water—to conduct vessel collision vulnerability assessments using specific methodologies. If an assessment reveals a bridge exceeds the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials risk threshold, the owner must develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan within one year. Failure to implement such a plan by October 1, 2026, will render the owner ineligible for future federal grants pertaining to that bridge, unless an extension is granted by the Secretary of Transportation. Furthermore, the Secretary of Transportation is directed to integrate these assessment results into the National Bridge Inventory, with provisions to protect sensitive security data. The bill also establishes an interdisciplinary bridge safety team within the Department of Transportation to offer guidance, ensure compliance, and manage a national vulnerability database. To support these efforts, a new competitive grant program will provide funding for both assessments and physical improvements to covered bridges, with $500,000,000 authorized for appropriations from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.