This paper addresses the optimization of Earthquake Resisting System (ERS) and pushover analysis in the design of a bridge.An appropriate ERS is desired in bridge design,which involves both of the application of the pinned column hinges and plastic hinges in seismic analysis,in order to properly allocate the internal forces among bridge substructure components.The obtainment of such an ERS shall be discussed.Conventionally,the column hinge is often modeled as a pined hinge in pushover analysis,as corresponds to the modeling in seismic elastic and plastic hinging analyses.In this design,the column hinge shall be also modeled as a plastic hinge with the limited moment capacity.This novel modeling not only improves the performance-based design,but leads to some new insights with pushover analysis as well.Finally,the major design of intermediate piers shall be presented.