Expectations for Inspection & Maintenance Responsibility

Outside Municipality
Route on Bridge Route/Waterway Under Bridge Inspection Responsibility Routine Maintenance Responsibility Major Maintenance Responsibility
Interstate Township Rd ODOT ODOT ODOT
US or State Route Township Rd ODOT ODOT ODOT
Township Rd Interstate ODOT ODOT ODOT
Township Rd US or State Route ODOT Township/ODOT (1) Township/ODOT (1)
Township Rd Waterway County Township County
(1) Responsibility is dependent upon who constructed the bridge and its primary purpose
Note: Any of the above may be subject to intergovernmental maintenance agreement

The Montgomery County Engineer’s Office restates this Office’s long-standing policy about bridges on the county inventory carrying township roadways. Under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 5591.21, a county has a duty to construct and keep in repair all necessary bridges over streams and public canals on the improved roads of a township. The Montgomery County Engineer’s Office has adopted the ten-foot rule, as set forth in the ODOT bridge manual, to distinguish a bridge from a culvert. The Ohio Revised Code provides that a “bridge” means any structure of ten feet or more clear span or ten feet or more in diameter on, above, or below a highway, including structures upon which railroad locomotives or cars may travel.” See ORC Section 5501.47.

A structure that does not meet the above criteria is considered a culvert, and a culvert located on a township road is the township’s responsibility.

Furthermore, the responsibility for routine, minor maintenance of a bridge carrying a township road belongs to the township.  The ODOT Maintenance Guidelines provide that “routine maintenance” includes, without limitation:

  • clearing debris from the deck, sweeping, snow and ice removal
  • minor wearing surface patching, resurfacing of the pavement wearing surface, emergency patching of deck
  • cleaning bridge drainage systems
  • marking decks for traffic control
  • minor and emergency repairs to railing and appurtenances
  • maintenance of traffic signal and lighting systems, including the supply of electrical power.

Guardrail on township roads extending from the first rail post beyond the bridge, beyond the termination of a parapet, or beyond a bridge terminal assembly, if present, is the sole responsibility of the township.

The Engineer’s Office requests that township road superintendents provide notice at least one year prior to resurfacing township roads over county bridges. This allows the county to provide guidance regarding acceptable milling depths to prevent damage to the structure, to provide pertinent standards or details, and to coordinate county maintenance work thereby reducing impacts to the traveling public.