Ohio Code § 5543.20
Ohio Code § 5543.20. Reproduced from the official Ohio Revised Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 5543.20.
The county engineer shall inspect all bridges or portions thereof on the county highway
system inside and outside of municipalities, bridges on township roads, and other
bridges or portions of bridges for which responsibility for inspection is by law or
agreement assigned to the county. If the responsibility for inspection of a bridge is not fixed by law or agreement
and the county performs the largest share of maintenance on a bridge, inspection shall
be made by the engineer. This section does not prohibit a board of township trustees from inspecting bridges
within a township. Such inspection shall be made on a schedule established by the director of transportation,
but at least once every twenty-four months, or more frequently if required by the
board of county commissioners, in accordance with the manual of bridge inspection
described in section 5501.47 of the Revised Code . Counties may contract for inspection services. The engineer shall maintain an updated inventory of all bridges in the county, except
those on the state highway system and those within a municipality for which the engineer
has no duty to inspect, and indicate on the inventory record who is responsible for
inspection and for maintenance, and the authority for such responsibilities. The engineer shall report the condition of all bridges to the board of county commissioners
not later than sixty days after the inspection or the engineer shall report more frequently
if the board so requires. Any bridge for which the county has inspection or maintenance responsibility which,
at any time, is found to be in a condition that is a potential danger to life or property
shall be identified in the reports, and if the engineer determines that the condition
of any bridge represents an immediate danger the engineer shall immediately report
the condition to the board. With respect to those bridges where there exists joint maintenance responsibility,
the engineer shall furnish a copy of the inspection report to each party responsible
for a share of maintenance. The engineer shall furnish each board of township trustees with a report of the
condition of bridges on the township road system of such township and furnish the
legislative authority of each municipality in the county with a report of the condition
of bridges in such municipality for which the county has responsibility for inspection. “ Maintenance ” as used in this division means actual performance of maintenance work.
Source: official Ohio text · Last verified 2026-08-27
At a glance
- Citation: Ohio Revised Code § 5543.20
- Jurisdiction: Ohio
- Code: Ohio Revised Code
- Text: transcribed from the official source (verify below)
Verify the text
Statute text is transcribed from the official Ohio Revised Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Ohio attorney.
Common questions
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The text above is transcribed from the Ohio Revised Code, the codified statutes of Ohio. The official publisher link appears under "Verify the text" on this page.
What subject does Ohio Revised Code § 5543.20 address?
It addresses the rule set out in the section text. Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.
Is Ohio Revised Code § 5543.20 still in force?
Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Ohio source before relying on this text.
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