This Policy Memorandum was Canceled June 23, 1999.

Our current Policy on Alternate Designs for Bridges has been revised (see August 15, 1995, Federal Register). Alternate designs for bridges will no longer be an FHWA requirement. Future use of alternate designs of bridges will be optional and at the discretion of the State highway agencies (SHAs).

The program has been very successful and has resulted in substantial savings in bridge costs over the years. However, we believe the time has come to afford the SHA’s the flexibility of deciding if alternate designs are appropriate on a project-by-project basis. We would hope that SHAs which have benefitted from the program would continue the practice.