Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Bridges and Structures

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Bridge Maintenance Academy

BMA 1

A series of eLearning modules which should be completed prior to attending Bridge Maintenance Academy 2.

BMA 2

An introduction to the fundamental skills required to perform bridge maintenance. Participants are given the opportunity to observe experts and perform hands-on bridge maintenance tasks, such as concrete formwork, rebar placement, concrete placement, finishing and curing, chain dragging, patching and structural steel repair. An in-person class held indoors in mid-winter in alternating years.

  • Prerequisite: BMA 1
  • Next anticipated class: February 2025

BMA 3

Participants construct a small single span bridge to be used for bridge jacking training. Participants will be able to observe experts and perform hands-on bridge maintenance tasks, including setting elastomeric bearings and steel beams, fastening steel diaphragms, constructing bridge deck formwork, placing rebar and bridge deck concrete, and installing a strip seal joint. Following construction of the bridge, participants will receive an introduction to basic bridge jacking and bearing and joint maintenance fundamentals. An in-person class held indoors in mid-winter in alternating years.

  • Prerequisite: BMA 2
  • Next anticipated class: February 2026