The US client base for EFS-based monitoring consists of the US Government, the 50 states and their local government agencies, 42 bridge authorities, 3 military agencies, 48 railroads, and 28 privately owned entities. Recognizing the problem of our aging surface transportation system, Congress has enacted legislation for its rehabilitation including the Intermodal Surface Transportation and Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991 and the Transportation Equity Act (TEA-21) in 1998.

The unacceptably high cost of retrofitting and replacing bridges impelled an ISTEA mandate that the States demonstrate they have an effective bridge management system in place in order to receive funding. To this date, final regulations to implement this mandate have not been published because no viable, dependable system to manage bridges has evolved.

The follow-on TEA-21 Act funded $200 billion for surface transportation, with $29 billion for the year 2000. Of this, $9 billion was budgeted for bridges; however, this funding was for the most part untapped because a proven, effective bridge management system had not been available. EFS-based monitoring will play a key role in this arena.

The US Government must now preside over the accelerating deterioration of the 610,389 bridges that make up the nationwide bridge infrastructure. Approximately 44,650 bridges are rated "structurally deficient" using Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidelines, and this number is increasing annually despite remedial actions taken. A specific population of what is defined as the average bridge - two and half spans - numbers 25,161 bridges, and require immediate repair. The cost, as estimated by the FHWA, reported in the NBI data, is $104 per square foot, or more than $20 billion.

For all predictions, forecasts or other statements which are forward looking in time, there are possible risks and uncertainties involved. See the Future Statements page.