Advancing the use of materials like fiber reinforced polymers (composites) in our public infrastructure is compelling and urgent. The use of resilient and sustainable materials, practices, and technologies in the development and construction of our state and local transportation infrastructure is becoming a policy prerequisite. Using proven and tested strong, durable, and non-corrosive materials to build our infrastructure is the ultimate in building back better.
The promise of composite bridge technology and its potential application to a wide array of bridge sites, is an important step in extending the lifecycle of bridges, accelerating bridge construction, and creating opportunities to substantially reduce the cost of bridge maintenance.
Under the Federal Aid Highway Program (FAHP), the demonstration project has long been an effective tool for state DOTs to demonstrate specific technology in an accelerated manner and to advance the state of knowledge for their own departments. Other jurisdictions, such as county and local transportation infrastructure owners, have also benefited from the demonstration project.