It’s a brand new year, which means reflecting on the year past to assess what we did right and what we can do better in 2014.

For county engineers and other bridge design professionals, a key goal in the new year will be to find ways to save their organizations time and money while repairing and rebuilding short span bridges. The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) can help.

If you haven’t tried designing a short span steel bridge (under 140 feet) in three steps or less with eSPAN140, make this the year to try it. Go to espan140.com, type in the parameters for your project, and get a customized steel solution in less than five minutes.

The Jesup South bridge in Buchanan County, Iowa is expected to save thousands of dollars for County Engineer Brian Keierleber and the taxpayers there. Designed in less than five minutes and constructed in just two months, the new Jesup South bridge, consturcted with galvanized steel structural elements and rebar,  is nearly twice the width of the original concrete bridge and can now carry the heavy loads required for trucks and agricultural equipment. Read more about the new bridge here.

Bridge professionals in Kentucky are already making plans to attend the third annual Kentucky Bridge Engineering Seminar Dayon February 4 in Lexington. One of the sessions offered that day will be Economical Short Span Steel Bridges and eSPAN140, which will be presented by a member of the SSSBA’s Bridge Technology Center. Feedback on the SSSBA session from participants at such events has always been positive.

At the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance, our New Year’s resolution is to continue to introduce bridge design professionals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico to the time-saving, cost-effective benefits of using steel to design lightweight, durable steel bridges of 140 feet or less…..and the ease of designing those bridges with eSPAN140.

In 2014, resolve to check out the benefits of short span steel bridge design and eSPAN140. To schedule a seminar or webinar, or to speak with someone directly, contact Dan Snyder at 301.367.6179 or [email protected]; or browse our website at shortspansteelbridges.org.

About the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) is a group of bridge and culvert industry leaders - including steel manufacturers, fabricators, service centers, coaters, researchers, and representatives of related associations and government organizations - who have joined together to provide educational information on the design and construction of short span steel bridges in installations up to 140 feet in length.

The American Galvanizers Association (AGA) is a partner member of the SSSBA.