Steel bridges live hard lives. Chlorides from de-icing salt, exhaust moisture, UV, and constant flexing all gnaw at paint films. Soluble salts alone are a top trigger for premature coating failure on highway structures. A single blister can open the door to pack-rust, section loss, and traffic restrictions. The 2022 Forbes Avenue bridge collapse in Pittsburgh showed what unchecked corrosion and ignored reports can cost—a full span on the ground and months of detours.

For two decades NWTI has helped owners keep critical crossings open and safe. Our job is simple: find the weak spots early, document them clearly, and be sure every layer of protection earns its keep before the bridge goes back under live load.

How we help

We start with a full coating & steel survey. NACE/AMPP-certified inspectors log dry-film thickness, adhesion, and surface condition, then grade corrosion using ISO 4628-3 and ASTM D610. You get a hard-number baseline for budgets and bid packages.

On rehabilitation or new-build work, our team tracks surface prep, ambient conditions, blast profiles, and every coat of paint. We verify SSPC-SP 10 or SP 6 cleanliness, measure profile depth, and confirm the FHWA-recommended zinc-rich primer / epoxy intermediate / polyurethane topcoat system is applied within spec. The result is a photo-rich record that keeps contractors honest and change-orders thin.

Beyond coatings, we provide AWS-CWI welding inspection, failure analysis of cracked members or delaminated overlay, and day-to-day QA/QC management that slips seamlessly into DOT workflows.

The NWTI edge

• Bridge specialists. We focus on corrosion and structural coatings—no scattershot service list, just deep expertise.
• Vendor-neutral reporting. Our digital field reports drop into your inbox the same day, complete with calibrated readings and geotagged photos.
• Consistency. The inspector who walks your kickoff meeting is the one signing the close-out, ensuring context never gets lost.
• Standards first. AASHTO, SSPC, ASTM—we write every recommendation in the language your engineers and auditors already speak.

When the public depends on the span, shortcuts aren’t an option. NWTI keeps your bridges in service, your budgets predictable, and your reputation intact.