US Department of Transportation has pledged a $5.2m grant to states promoting the use of innovative technologies in highway bridge construction and renovation work.

The use of advanced technologies will reduce construction time, repair costs and cut traffic delays.

The Federal Highway Administration’s Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment programme promotes the use of effective and beneficial technologies, encouraging states to use them.

In the past, the grants have been awarded for bridge prefabrication projects in which parts are built off-site and then placed onto a bridge, thereby reducing travel times and congestion caused by prolonged bridge work.

The programme was authorised by legislation that promotes innovative design and materials that improve the construction and repair of the nation’s highway bridges.