With the introduction of the German Load Rating Guideline of 2011 (known in Germany as "Recalculation" Guideline), the subject of bridge inventory is once again a focus of research. The priorities include, in addition to structural evaluations, recommendations regarding possible rehabilitation and strengthening measures along with the ability to forecast the estimated remaining service life of existing bridges. The load rating guidelines indicate, in conjunction with other guidelines and norms, the fundamental analysis and work that needs to be carried out within the evaluation of the bridge inventory. Such guidelines shall be amended and updated in the coming years. An often overlooked aspect is to look at other countries (especially outside Europe) as regards to their common bridge management and assessment practices. In recent years, the United States have achieved considerable progress in this area. This article attempts to contrast the fundamental differences between the two countries in terms of the computational evaluation as well as the local condition evaluation, and thus, it illustrates an aspect useful to consider while updating the current load rating guidelines.