The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored a large, multi-year project conducted by theMultidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) titled "Seismic Vulnerability of New HighwayConstruction" (MCEER Project 112), which was completed in 1998. MCEER coordinated the work of many researchers, whoperformed studies on the seismic design and vulnerability analysis of highway bridges, tunnels, and retaining structures.Extensive research was conducted to provide revisions and improvements to current design and detailing approaches andnational design specifications for highway bridges. The program included both analytical and experimental studies, andaddressed seismic hazard exposure and ground motion input for the U.S. highway system; foundation design and soil behavior;structural importance, analysis, and response; structural design issues and details; and structural design criteria.