DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION  
BUREAU OF HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT  
LOCAL BRIDGE PROGRAM  
(By authority conferred on the department of transportation by 1951 PA 51, MCL  
247.660 and 247.661b)  
R 247.151 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1954 ACS 100, Eff. Aug. 28, 1979; 1979 AC; 2007  
AACS.  
R 247.152 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1979 AC; 2007 AACS.  
R 247.153 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1954 ACS 100, Eff. Aug. 28, 1979; 1979 AC; 2007  
AACS.  
R 247.154 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1954 ACS 100, Eff. Aug. 28, 1979; 1979 AC; 2007  
AACS.  
R 247.155 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1954 ACS 100, Eff. Aug. 28, 1979; 1979 AC; 2007  
AACS.  
R 247.156 Rescinded.  
History: 1954 ACS 79, Eff. May 22, 1974; 1979 AC; 2007 AACS.  
R 247.161 Definitions.  
Rule 1. (a) "Bridge" means a structure with a total clear span of at least 20 feet  
measured along the centerline of the roadway over a stream, watercourse, or opening.  
For a span bridge, this means that the clear opening span, measured face-to-face of  
Page 1  
Courtesy of Michigan Administrative Rules  
the inside of the abutments, is 20 feet or greater. Multi-unit culverts are considered  
bridges if the total length as measured along the centerline of the roadway is at least  
20 feet and if the distance between the culvert units is less than half the diameter of the  
smallest unit.  
(b) "Department" means the Michigan department of transportation.  
(c) "Highway authority" means a county road commission, a city, or a village.  
(d) "Local bridge advisory board" means the statewide board, as defined in 2004 PA  
384, MCL 247.660.  
(e) "Local bridge program" means a program established for reconstruction,  
replacement, rehabilitation, and preventative maintenance of bridges under the  
jurisdiction of counties, cities, and villages.  
(f) "Multi-year plan" means a list of bridge projects expected and planned to be placed  
under contract in a multi-year period.  
(g) "Regional bridge council" means the council representing one of the regions  
within the state. The councils and the regions are as defined in 2004 PA 384, MCL  
247.660.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
R 247.162 Procedure; annual listing.  
Rule 2. (1) The local bridge advisory board, in cooperation with the department,  
shall develop such procedural guides and processes as are required to administer the  
local bridge program.  
(2) The regional bridge councils, in cooperation with the local bridge advisory board,  
shall develop a multi-year bridge plan for each of the regions in the state.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
R 247.163 Eligibility; priority.  
Rule 3. (1) In the preparation of a list of bridge projects, the local bridge advisory  
board and the regional bridge councils shall take into account the following factors:  
(a) Present and future importance of the bridge to the highway, road, or street network  
of which it is a part, and the importance of the highway, road, or street network to the  
area.  
(b) Inadequate load carrying capacity calculated in accordance with methods  
prescribed by the department.  
(c) Financial obligation and funding capacity of the highway authority in relation to its  
highway system and needs.  
(2) In the determination of priority for funding, the local bridge advisory board  
and the regional bridge councils shall give priority to a bridge which has inadequate  
load carrying capacity and where the highway authority is severely limited in ability to  
improve the bridge through use of other funds.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
Page 2  
Courtesy of Michigan Administrative Rules  
R 247.164 Letting of projects; performance of construction engineering.  
Rule 4. (1) Local agency bridge projects, funded through the local bridge program,  
shall be let to contract by the department under the following conditions:  
(a) The highway authority has secured department approval of plans,  
specifications, and estimated costs for the proposed work. The plans shall have been  
prepared by a qualified engineer registered to practice professional engineering in  
Michigan.  
(b) The highway authority has adequate funds available, in addition to local bridge  
funds, to complete the bridge work.  
(2) The department shall award and administer the construction contract unless the  
federal highway administration has otherwise authorized the contract to be let by the  
local agency.  
(3) The construction engineering may be done by the engineering staff of the highway  
authority or by the engineer consultant retained by the highway authority.  
(4) Funds from the local bridge program shall be used for participating construction  
costs. The costs of preliminary engineering, construction engineering, and right of  
way acquisition are not paid from the local bridge fund.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
R 247.165 Design requirements for bridge projects.  
Rule 5. Bridge reconstruction and replacement projects, shall be designed to meet the  
current American Association of State Highway and  
Transportation Official's  
(AASHTO) guidelines as included in "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and  
Streets, 5th Edition" which is available for viewing at the Michigan Department of  
Transportation, 425 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, MI 48909 or may be ordered for  
$120 ($100 for AASHTO members) online at www.transportation.org, or by calling  
(800) 231-3475.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
R 247.166 Open meetings.  
Rule 6. (a) The local bridge advisory board and regional bridge council meetings shall  
be made public as required by the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261-MCL  
15.275.  
History: 2007 AACS.  
Page 3  
Courtesy of Michigan Administrative Rules  
;