Appendix J › II. Transportation Facilities; IX. Signage

What mitigation can we add when repairing bridges, roads, pier ramps and signs?

FEMA term

Mitigation for bridges, roads, railways, pier ramps and signage

Short answer

For bridges: low-water crossings where traffic is light, restraint cables, uplift tie-downs and abutment protection. For pier ramps: open or floating decking with tie-downs. For roads and railways: stabilized shoulders and embankments and geotextile drainage blankets. For signs: stronger panels, supports and fasteners.

What FEMA requires

Bridges: replace with low-water crossings where traffic counts are low; install cables to keep bridges on piers or abutments in floods or earthquakes; install girder and deck uplift tie-downs; install longitudinal peaked stone toe protection with planting upstream of a failed abutment, or similar solutions such as engineered logjams, log vanes or bendway weirs.
Marine pier ramps: if attached to decking, install open or floating decking with uplift-resistant tie-downs and fasteners.
Roads and railways: where shoulders are prone to overflow, stabilize shoulders and embankments with geotextile fabric (erosion control blankets or turf reinforcement mats) and revetments.
Roads: use geotextile drainage blankets between the pavement section and subbase.
Signs: replace panels and supports with a stronger system, including multiple posts and stronger panels and fasteners.

<table class="pt-table"><thead><tr><th>Facility</th><th>Pre-approved measures</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bridges</td><td>Low-water crossings where traffic is low; restraint cables; girder and deck uplift tie-downs; stone toe protection with planting, engineered logjams or log vanes at failed abutments</td></tr><tr><td>Marine pier ramps</td><td>Open or floating decking with uplift-resistant tie-downs</td></tr><tr><td>Roads and railways</td><td>Stabilize shoulders and embankments with erosion control blankets, turf reinforcement mats and revetments</td></tr><tr><td>Roads</td><td>Geotextile drainage blankets between pavement and subbase</td></tr><tr><td>Signs</td><td>Stronger panels and supports, multiple posts, stronger fasteners</td></tr></tbody></table>

Documentation

Traffic counts for low-water crossing proposals, bridge and roadway designs, and specifications for the strengthened components.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Federal-aid roads and bridges usually fall under FHWA’s Emergency Relief program, not FEMA PA, so confirm the facility is FEMA-eligible before planning mitigation on it.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.