The bill establishes a five-year Bridge Transportation Asset Management Plan Pilot Program under the New Jersey Department of Transportation, aimed at inventorying, assessing, and making recommendations regarding the condition of bridges across the state. The program will involve collaboration with various state agencies and educational institutions to create a digital inventory of bridges, develop a life-cycle risk scoring model, conduct climate vulnerability assessments, and establish a public-facing performance dashboard. Additionally, the bill mandates the creation of a Bridge Infrastructure Innovation Module to utilize artificial intelligence and sensor-based monitoring on high-risk bridges, enhancing risk assessment and emergency response planning.

To support the pilot program and the module, the bill appropriates $9.5 million from the General Fund, with specific allocations for inventory acquisition, staff training, and artificial intelligence research. The Department of Transportation is required to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on the program's implementation and performance, culminating in a final report that includes a cost-benefit analysis and recommendations for potential statewide expansion. This initiative aims to address New Jersey's aging infrastructure through data-driven planning that emphasizes safety and long-term cost efficiency.