Special energy dissipation and isolation devices can be used to avoid or minimize structural damage in the built infrastructure. This paper analyses the impact of these devices on bridges using a spectral analysis and standard configurations to assess their impact on peak column displacement (damage), total base shear (foundation demand) and residual displacement (repair). A suite of 20 probabilistically scaled ground motion records was used to ensure results compatible with performance based design approaches. The devices considered are the High Force-to-Volume (HF2V) dissipator, Symmetric Friction Connection (SFC), Asymmetric Friction Connection (AFC) and Linear-Elastic Isolators (LEI). The columns are assumed to remain elastic and the column displacements and residual displacements are compared. Energy dissipating devices yielded the greatest reduction in peak displacement when placed between the column and the deck for periods up to about 2.5s. Above 2.5s, dissipating devices connecting ground-to-deck provided the optimum configuration. Residual displacements when energy dissipators are placed between the column and the deck were larger than those of the ground-to-deck connection case for periods below ~3.7s. Above this period, frictional dissipators in the column to deck case were more effective than in the ground to deck case. However, HF2V devices connecting ground to the deck remains the best alternative with no residual displacements. Using the performance curves developed it is possible to select the best device and configuration, for a reference rigid connection system of a given period, taking into account performance (dmanage), foundation demand and residual displacement (repair).