FDOT’s core bridge measure is the percent of bridges on the State Highway System (SHS) meeting FDOT standards. The target is to have at least 90% of bridges maintained by the Department achieve a National Bridge Inventory (NBI) rating of 6 or higher to meet the mandate of 334.046(4), F.S..

The NBI is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirement for evaluating bridge conditions, based on a 0 to 9 scale with 0 indicating a failed condition and 9 indicating an excellent condition. An NBI rating of 6 or 7 means a bridge is in good condition.

The Department takes a proactive approach to bridge maintenance, which has proven to be cost-effective. Preventative maintenance and repairs are performed so that bridges will not deteriorate and require greater repair costs. This helps to ensure that FDOT-maintained bridges meet or exceed their life expectancy, resulting in a lower frequency of replacements.

Note: Bridge conditions are calculated using a different method for federal performance reporting purposes.