An Overview: The Problem And How You Can Help

About Turning the Tide - A Campaign For Change: A Future For Historic Bridges

Could historic bridges across the United States could be saved with a couple paragraphs of text? If the government could be convinced to add and change a couple paragraphs in a piece of legislation called "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users" this would make a huge difference for the futures of historic bridges across the country. The change occurs in a legislative action that is called a Surface Transportation Reauthorization. The historic bridge community has been silent long enough. Many people in our nation enjoy historic bridges, either casually or as a real hobby, and are unhappy at the frequent demolition of historic bridges. Many more are unhappy at how our nation's bridges are not properly maintained, resulting in decreased safety and money wasted on costly and inconvenient bridge replacement projects.

The government has declared that it will not increase and expand historic bridge preservation funding until it is aware of a public interest. This is where your help is needed. Our government needs to know this is an important issue to the people. Even if you are not extremely interested with historic bridges, but just like seeing the quaint, old bridge on your drive to work, please help by contacting the involved government officials and legislators who have the power to implement these changes that will bring a future to historic bridges.

Latest News and A Call To Action: November 2009

Eric DeLony, a leading historic bridge expert and former Chief of Historic American Engineering Record is asking for the historic bridge community to contact legislators and express support for historic bridge. Mr. DeLony forwarded HistoricBridges.org the following information:

According to Preservation Action,

Compromise Sought for Transportation Authorization

With the House still in favor of a 6-year surface transportation program authorization and the Senate supporting an 18-month extension, a bipartisan compromise may be emerging.

A plan by Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) would provide authorization for two years of surface transportation projects in exchange for supporting a Senate-sponsored extension of programs through April of 2010.  Under the plan, more than $200 billion would be authorized for highway and transit infrastructure projects right away - addressing the desire of Congress to promote job creation.  Congress would then begin overhauling policy for a multi-year authorization to be passed in the spring.

Congress is still at odds over the source of funding.  While house Democrats would like to use funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), Republicans favor using unspent money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).