STANDARDIZED DESIGNS LOWER BRIDGE COSTS.

In response to a growing bridge problem, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has been developing a series of standardized plans to lower the design costs of short and medium-span bridges. The standard designs were selected on the basis of ease of construction, fabrication and erection, economy and proven performance. The standards consist of two parts: design sheets and construction sheets. The design sheets include general information - such as design criteria, examples and instructions - and a data assembly section. The construction sheets include detailed drawings for each superstructure and substructure type. The standard designs are expected to become more streamlined - and cheaper - as the process is computerized and digitized into a computer-aided design and drafting system.