An effective BMS for bridges on and off Federal-aid highways that should be based on the “AASHTO Guidelines for Bridge Management Systems”[2] and that supplies analyses and summaries of data, uses mathematical models to make forecasts and recommendations, and provides the means by which alternative policies and programs may be efficiently considered. An effective BMS should include, as a minimum, formal procedures for:
(a) Collecting, processing, and updating data;
(b) Predicting deterioration;
(c) Identifying alternative actions;
(d) Predicting costs;
(e) Determining optimal policies;
(f) Performing short- and long-term budget forecasting; and
(g) Recommending programs and schedules for implementation within policy and budget constraints.