A cost-effective bridge is a bridge whose maintenance is based on its chemical condition over it's entire service life.  If deterioration mechanisms are prevented, a bridge would cost considerably less to maintain and safely serves its full design service life, if not longer.  The current practice for physical evaluation and delayed maintenance of deteriorated concrete bridges is fundamentally wrong.  The current inspection manuals are primarily focused on detecting physical damage in concrete bridge elements.  If no physical damage is detected, very minimal maintenance actions are taken.  This is the main reason why the number of US bridges that are classified structurally deficient is on the rise.  Given the need for future expansion of the US transportation network and increase in number of new bridges, there is a need for cost-effective maintenance process that prevents deterioration mechanism from starting, or at least stops it at a very early stage.