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Summary

The Office of Inspector General is initiating an audit of the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) oversight of railroad bridge safety. FRA records show that over the past 10 years, 24 accidents caused by the misalignment or failure of railroad bridges resulted in 392 injuries. In accordance with the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, FRA issued a rule in 2010 that requires railroad track owners to implement bridge management programs that address a variety of requirements, including performing bridge inspections at least annually and protecting bridges from overweight and oversize loads. The objective of this audit is to assess FRA’s oversight for ensuring that track owners’ bridge management programs comply with the FRA’s rule on bridge safety standards.