During the past decade, many agencies responsible for bridges in the US and abroad have been actively involved in the development of operating bridge management systems (BMSs). The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and Transportation Research Board have encouraged and supported such efforts. This paper presents an overview of major approaches to BMS development that have emerged during the past decade. It evaluates the role of differing needs, specific to different agencies, and the way in which they are addressed in developing customized bridge management systems. The paper reviews use of large mainframe as well as microcomputers for applications suitable for large and small agencies. Further, the paper presents some suggestions and insights about the future of the state-of-the-art of BMSs. The information presented was compiled from available literature and from results of a bridge management questionnaire.