In order to serve, protect and preserve the health, safety and welfare of the public, Chapter 781 of the Laws of 1988 established a program of comprehensive bridge management and inspection within the Department of Transportation to facilitate comprehensive bridge management, inspection, maintenance, improved knowledge of the condition of bridges, structured comparisons of bridge conditions, prioritized and optimized rankings of bridges in need of major maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement, a mechanism for improving historical predictions, the development of a means to assess and project bridge performance and deterioration, development of data to quantify the effectiveness of preventive maintenance, and increased scheduling of bridge maintenance. Pursuant to Chapter 781 of the Laws of 1988, the Commissioner of Transportation hereby establishes a Uniform Code of Bridge Inspection which prescribes the standards for bridge inspections and evaluations; requirements for the establishment of a rating system; procedures for underwater inspections; requirements for the performance of bridge structural and foundation system evaluations in conjunction with an inspection and criteria for their need and frequency; and the qualifications of bridge design, construction, and inspection experience for licensed professional engineers who may perform or supervise bridge inspections and evaluations in accordance with the provisions of this Part.