Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
August 6, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45862-45863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18655]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2014-0028]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that FHWA will submit the 
collection of information described below to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Federal Register Notice 
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following 
collection of information was published on June 5, 2014. The PRA 
submission describes the nature of the information collection and its 
expected cost and burden.

DATES: Please submit comments by September 5, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID 2014-
0028 by any of the following methods:
    Web site: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Shemaka, 202-366-1575, Office of 
Bridge Technology, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Bridge Inspection Program.
    Background: This collection is necessary to meet legislative 
requirements of Title 23 United States Code section 144, and the Code 
of Federal Regulations, 23 Highways Part 650, Subpart C--National 
Bridge Inspection Standards which require States, Federal Agencies, and 
Tribal Governments to: (1) Perform and report inventory data from 
routine inspections, fracture critical inspections, and underwater 
inspections on all highway bridges on public roads, and element level 
inspections on highway bridges on the National Highway System; (2) 
report costs associated with the replacement of structurally deficient 
bridges; and (3) follow up on critical findings. The bridge inspection 
and replacement cost information that is provided to the FHWA is on an 
annual basis. The critical findings information is periodically 
provided to the FHWA. The bridge information is used for multiple 
purposes, including: (1) The determination of the condition of the 
Nation's bridges which is included in a biennial report to Congress on 
the Status of the Nation's Bridges; (2) for a report to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate on the 
Nation's bridge inventory; (3) the data source for executing various 
sections of the Federal-aid program which involve highway bridges; (4) 
the data source for assessing the bridge penalty provisions of Title 23 
United States Code section 119; and (5) for strategic national defense 
needs.
    Respondents: 52 State highway agencies including the District of 
Columbia and Puerto Rico, Federal Agencies, and Tribal Governments. The 
number of inspections per respondent varies in accordance with the 
National Bridge Inspection Standards.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The estimated average burden 
for each bridge inspection is 8 hours. The estimated average burden for 
each element level inspection is 25 minutes. The estimated average 
burden for each cost collection report is 90 hours. The estimated 
average burden for follow up on critical findings is 40 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The annual burden hours 
associated with this renewal is 2,490,118 hours. This estimated figure 
is based on 306,800 annual instances for routine, fracture critical, 
and underwater inspections multiplied by 8 hours (2,454,400 hours); 
plus 69,500 annual element inspections multiplied by 25 minutes (28,958 
hours); plus 90 hours for each cost report multiplied by 52 reports 
(4,680 hours); plus 40 hours for follow up on critical findings 
multiplied by 52 respondents (2,080 hours) for a combined annual burden 
of 2,490,118 hours.

[[Page 45863]]

    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the U.S. DOT's performance, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the U.S. DOT's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
information collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, 
and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden 
could be minimized, including the use of electronic technology, without 
reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will 
summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: August 1, 2014.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-18655 Filed 8-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P