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Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-102

§523 Relocation of Bridges

Title 33 › CHAPTER 11 — BRIDGES OVER NAVIGABLE WATERS › SUBCHAPTER II — ALTERATION OF BRIDGES › § 523

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a bridge owner and the Secretary agree that moving a bridge or building a new one at a different spot is better than changing the old bridge to fix a navigation problem or for another reason, they may relocate or build the bridge at the new site on terms they both accept. The costs, including work on rights-of-way, tracks, signals, and moving rail connections, must be shared between the owner and the United States as provided in section 516, and the United States’ share is paid from the money authorized in section 518. However, the United States does not have to pay any part of building a bridge over a navigable stream if the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating finds it is not actually a relocation of an existing bridge.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §523

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If the owner of any bridge and the Secretary shall agree that in order to remove an obstruction to navigation, or for any other purpose, a relocation of such bridge or the construction of a new bridge upon a new location would be preferable to an alteration of the existing bridge, such relocation or new construction may be carried out at such new site and upon such terms as may be acceptable to the bridge owner and the Secretary, and the cost of such relocation or new construction, including also any expense of changes in and additions to rights-of-way, stations, tracks, spurs, sidings, switches, signals, and other railroad facilities and property, and relocation of shippers required for railroad connection with the bridge at the new site, shall be apportioned as between the bridge owner and the United States in the manner which is provided for in section 516 of this title in the case of an alteration and the share of the United States paid from the appropriation authorized in section 518 of this title: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the United States to pay any part of the expense of building any bridge across a navigable stream which the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall not find to be, in fact, a relocation of an existing bridge.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–120 substituted “Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating” for “Secretary of Transportation”. 1983—Pub. L. 97–449 substituted “Secretary of Transportation” for “Secretary of War”. See

Transfer of Functions

note below. 1952—Act July 16, 1952, struck out “used for railroad traffic” after “owner of any bridge”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

section 6(g)(3) of Pub. L. 89–670 transferred functions, powers, and duties of Secretary of the Army [formerly War] and other officers and offices of Department of the Army [formerly War] relating to obstructive bridges under this subchapter to Secretary of Transportation. Pub. L. 97–449 amended this section to reflect transfer made by section 6(g)(3) of Pub. L. 89–670, and repealed section 6(g)(3).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 523

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102