National Bridge Inventory: Illinois



  • Of the 26,873 bridges in the state, 2,423, or 9.0 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is up from 2,273 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 12.0 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 167 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 83.6 percent of the structurally deficient bridges are not on the National Highway System, which includes the Interstate and other key roads linking major airports, ports, rail and truck terminals.
  • 1,171 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 4,105 bridges at an estimated cost of $6.7 billion.
  • This compares to 4,032 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Cook 1962 238,000 Urban Interstate I- 90,94 Elev Exp over Stewart Ave to 28 Pl
Cook 1962 202,700 Urban Interstate I- 90,94 Ryan Elev over 18th to 22nd Sts
Cook 1962 170,500 Urban Interstate I- 90,94 Ryan Elev over 22nd to SB Chi Rvr
Cook 1949 146,800 Urban Interstate I- 94 Bishop Ford over RR - Ihb & CSXt
DuPage 1959 142,000 Urban Interstate I- 55 over Madison St
Cook 1949 128,400 Urban Interstate I- 94, US 41 Edens over Skokie River
DuPage 1960 122,100 Urban Interstate I- 55 over Lemont Rd
Cook 1963 114,100 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Kirchoff Rd
Cook 1963 114,100 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Kirchoff Rd
Cook 1964 103,600 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB Fap 342 over US 14 NW Hwy & UP RR
Cook 1963 103,600 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Industrial Ave
Cook 1963 103,600 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Industrial Ave
Cook 1964 103,600 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over US 14&UPRR Fau3512
Cook 1937 97,600 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Drive over Main Br Chicago Riv
Cook 1986 97,600 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Wacker Drive
Will 1980 97,500 Urban Interstate I- 55 over IL 53
Cook 1964 93,700 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Palatine Rd
Cook 1964 92,900 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Palatine Rd
Cook 1940 92,700 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Belmont Av
Cook 1986 92,600 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Lower Lsd & Land
Cook 1956 91,200 Urban other principal arterial Ohio St Feeder W A over RR - Up,Trib Parking
Cook 1961 91,200 Urban other principal arterial Ohio St Jfk Feeder over N Br Chicago River
Cook 1956 91,200 Urban other principal arterial Ohio St Feeder E A over Kingsbury St
Cook 1967 87,000 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Irving Park Rd
Cook 1986 85,700 Urban other principal arterial Lsd-Ramp 3 over Land
Type of Bridge Number of Bridges Area of All Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on All Bridges Number of Structurally Deficient Bridges Area of Structurally Deficient Bridges
(sq. meters)
Daily Crossings on Structurally Deficient Bridges
Rural Interstate 879 791,509 10,195,850 70 118,579 657,700
Rural arterial 860 558,407 4,021,150 61 55,654 287,800
Rural minor arterial 1,553 774,743 3,855,825 94 75,402 235,125
Rural major collector 3,207 1,038,939 3,000,525 256 105,493 235,000
Rural minor collector 1,446 387,558 734,305 155 39,631 91,335
Rural local road 12,214 2,079,396 1,357,526 1,079 156,281 119,884
Urban Interstate 1,438 3,008,082 56,957,225 97 263,680 3,531,150
Urban freeway/expressway 218 299,603 5,233,150 24 26,626 1,377,050
Urban other principal arterial 1,370 2,099,651 27,699,850 131 363,458 3,318,895
Urban minor arterial 1,274 1,293,331 12,499,275 131 217,237 1,456,925
Urban collector 1,082 809,736 4,907,940 157 155,245 813,720
Urban local road 1,332 489,173 1,483,652 168 53,150 160,285
Total 26,873 13,630,126 131,946,273 2,423 1,630,435 12,284,869
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 1,478 $3,019 10,566,569 1,271,559
Widening & rehabilitation 277 $586 3,746,510 359,063
Rehabilitation 2,139 $2,429 13,469,984 1,499,133
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 63 $257 3,184,200 156,522
Other structural work 148 $393 1,854,720 242,351
Total 4,105 $6,685 32,821,983 3,528,628

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

Effective January 1, 2018, FHWA changed the definition of structurally deficient as part of the final rule on highway and bridge performance measures, published May 20, 2017 pursuant to the 2012 federal aid highway bill Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Two measures that were previously used to classify bridges as structurally deficient are no longer used. This includes bridges where the overall structural evaluation was rated in poor or worse condition, or where the adequacy of waterway openings was insufficient.

The new definition limits the classification to bridges where one of the key structural elements—the deck, superstructure, substructure or culverts, are rated in poor or worse condition. During inspection, the conditions of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition.

Cost estimates have been derived by ARTBA, based on 2021 average bridge replacement costs for structures on and off the National Highway System, published by FHWA. Bridge rehabilitation costs are estimated to be 68 percent of replacement costs. A bridge is considered to need repair if the structure has identified repairs as part of the NBI, a repair cost estimate is supplied by the bridge owner or the bridge is classified as structurally deficient. Please note that for a few states, the number of bridges needing to be repaired can vary significantly from year to year, and reflects the data entered by the state.

Bridges are classified by FHWA into types based on the functional classification of the roadway on the bridge. Interstates comprise routes officially designated by the Secretary of Transportation. Other principal arterials serve major centers of urban areas or provide mobility through rural areas. Freeways and expressways have directional lanes generally separated by a physical barrier, and access/egress points generally limited to on- and off-ramps. Minor arterials serve smaller areas and are used for trips of moderate length. Collectors funnel traffic from local roads to the arterial network; major collectors have higher speed limits and traffic volumes and are longer in length and spaced at greater intervals, while minor collectors are shorter and provide service to smaller communities. Local roads do not carry through traffic and are intended for short distance travel.

14
Compared to 14 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
13. Missouri 9.0%
14. Illinois 9.0%
15. Massachusetts 9.0%

3
Compared to 3 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
2. Pennsylvania 3,112
3. Illinois 2,423
4. Missouri 2,230

3
Compared to 3 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
2. West Virginia 15.0%
3. Illinois 12.0%
4. Massachusetts 11.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on February 1, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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