LoadPath PDH — PE/NICET supplemental PDH (not FHWA/NBIS refresher training).

Home › 1-PDH Bridge Catalog › BR-S01

SNBIOnline self-study

SNBI Overview: From the Coding Guide to the New Inventory

1 PDH · about 60 minutes · Course no. BR-S01 · Instructor: Michael Craig, PE

About the instructor

Michael Craig, PE is Senior Vice President and Southeast Director at Strinteg Corporation, leading bridge inspection and structural engineering across eight states and Puerto Rico. In 27+ years he has inspected over 4,000 structures and completed 3,000+ load ratings and 160+ load tests. He has managed repair and preservation design for complex bridges, including cable-stayed bridges. He holds PE licenses in twelve states, DC and Puerto Rico, SPRAT Level 1, and FAA Part 107 credentials.

The Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), published by FHWA in March 2022 alongside the updated NBIS, replace the 1995 Recording and Coding Guide as the specification for reporting bridge data to FHWA. This course explains why the change was made, how the SNBI is organized, what it means for owners, inspectors and data managers, and how the multi-year transition works.

⬇ Download study guide (PDF)

Learning objectives

  • Explain why FHWA replaced the 1995 Coding Guide
  • Describe the SNBI organization and data philosophy
  • Identify impacts on owners and inspectors
  • Plan for transition

Outline

  1. Why the Coding Guide was replaced
  2. How the SNBI is organized
  3. Frequency codes
  4. Part A — From fixed fields to related data sets
  5. Part B — A walk through the seven sections
  6. Part C — Reading an SNBI item page
  7. Part D — What is new for inspectors
  8. Part E — What is new for load rating and posting data
  9. Part F — What is new in appraisal
  10. Part G — Calculated items and national performance measures
  11. Part H — The transition timeline
  12. Part I — Crosswalk, transition tool and validation
  13. Part J — Border bridges
  14. Part K — Impacts on owners and program managers
  15. Part L — Impacts on inspectors in the field
  16. Part M — Worked examples
  17. Part N — A transition readiness checklist
  18. Part O — Frequently asked questions
  19. Part P — Glossary
  20. Part Q — Calculated items: what inspectors do not report
  21. Part R — Common misconceptions
  22. Part S — Study guide
  23. Part T — Using the SNBI document efficiently
  24. Open the course (29 screens, 2 knowledge checks)
  25. Final quiz — 10 questions, 70% to pass

References

  1. FHWA, Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), FHWA-HIF-22-017, March 2022
  2. 23 CFR Part 650, Subpart C — National Bridge Inspection Standards (final rule published May 6, 2022)
  3. AASHTO, Manual for Bridge Element Inspection, 2nd Edition, 2019
  4. AASHTO, The Manual for Bridge Evaluation, 3rd Edition, 2018 (with interim revisions)
  5. FHWA, Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM), FHWA-NHI-12-049, 2012 (as revised)