It was common practice to place seal coats and asphalt overlays on bridges in the past. TxDOT promoted the practice of placing the Texas Bridge Deck Protection System, consisting of a two-course surface treatment followed by an asphalt overlay. This practice is no longer considered effective to deter deck deterioration and contributes to other issues such as: it lowers the bridge rail height from the roadway not allowing the rail to function as designed under impact; the asphalt ravels at expansion joints resulting in costly bridge joint treatment; and it creates in-effective joint sealing. Placing asphalt treated surfaces on bridge decks is no longer recommended, but it is recommended to maintain the asphalt surface by milling down to the bridge deck surface before applying the new asphalt treated surface. When asphalt extends over bridge expansion joints, it is recommended to saw cut the asphalt two-thirds overlay depth and seal with a hot pour rubber seal.