A Bridge Design Engineer conducts structural analysis to ensure the strength and safety of highway structures, prepares structural design and contract documents including drawings, specifications, and estimates, participates in preparing the project budget and schedule, participates in meetings with clients and project team members, and reviews the structural calculations and contract documents prepared by others. A Bridge Design Engineer may be the principal design engineer on a project or the assistant design engineer on large, complex projects.
Other responsibilities typically include:
- Develop designs for other highway structures such as sign bridges and lighting supports.
- Analyze damaged bridges.
- Assess structural adequacy of existing bridges to withstand stresses due to oversized or overweight truck stresses to prevent damage or a bridge collapse.
- Prepare designs to upgrade an existing bridge by widening the deck, raising the deck, or strengthening the structure.
- Assess design related construction problems and erection schemes.
- Update bridge standards.
- Carry out design investigations of cranes, hoists, and similar apparatus used on bridge and highway maintenance to ensure structural stability and safety of operators.