National Bridge Inventory: Illinois



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 4,174 bridges.
  • This compares to 4,099 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Illinois will receive a total of $1.5 billion in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Illinois currently has access to $1.2 billion of that total, and has committed $632.8 million towards 228 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 26,927 bridges in the state, 2,563, or 9.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is up from 2,405 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 11.2 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Illinois

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Cook 1962 245,500 Urban Interstate I- 90,94 Ryan Elev over Canal to Stewart Sts
Cook 1949 178,600 Urban Interstate I- 94 Bishop Ford over RR - Ihb & CSXt
Cook 1947 152,900 Urban Interstate I- 94 Bishop Ford over Greenwood Ave
Cook 1947 152,900 Urban Interstate I- 94 Bishop Ford over Little Cal River
Cook 1963 123,700 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Kirchoff Rd
Cook 1963 123,700 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Kirchoff Rd
Cook 1964 113,400 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over US 14&UPRR Fau3512
Cook 1964 113,400 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over US 14 NW Hwy & UP RR
Cook 1963 113,400 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Industrial Ave
Cook 1963 113,400 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Industrial Ave
St. Clair 1966 113,200 Urban Interstate I-55/64; US 40 Psc over Trra
Cook 1964 105,100 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 SB over Palatine Rd
Cook 1964 105,100 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over Palatine Rd
Cook 1937 102,000 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Drive over Main Br Chicago Riv
Cook 1986 102,000 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Wacker Drive
Cook 1941 101,600 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Belmont Av
Cook 1986 95,000 Urban other principal arterial Lsd-Ramp 3 over Land
Cook 1967 94,800 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Irving Park Rd
Cook 1986 94,400 Urban other principal arterial Lake Shore Dr over Lower Lsd & Land
Cook 1959 92,200 Urban Interstate I-190 WB Jfk over I-294 Tri State Toll
Cook 1965 89,400 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 Fap 342 over Anderson Dr Ms 3240
Cook 1949 89,300 Urban Interstate I- 94 NB Bishop Fo over Little Cal River
Cook 1949 89,300 Urban Interstate I- 94 SB Bishop Fo over Little Cal River
Cook 1965 83,100 Urban freeway/expressway IL 53 NB over US 12 (Rand Road)
Cook 1956 80,400 Urban other principal arterial Ohio St Feeder E A over Kingsbury St

Bridge Inventory: Illinois

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 869 771,333 9,963,235 70 110,881 675,375
Rural arterial 871 507,788 3,946,200 53 42,578 272,700
Rural minor arterial 1,569 764,254 3,835,025 97 64,907 228,850
Rural major collector 3,195 1,044,312 2,932,135 272 100,622 237,000
Rural minor collector 1,476 397,722 761,990 185 51,446 115,415
Rural local road 12,171 2,076,630 1,300,723 1,160 180,403 125,934
Urban Interstate 1,449 3,128,232 62,159,750 95 213,458 3,441,700
Urban freeway/expressway 217 296,795 5,638,650 22 25,711 1,462,750
Urban other principal arterial 1,366 2,150,316 28,194,405 112 296,670 2,841,210
Urban minor arterial 1,285 1,339,653 12,496,750 122 207,843 1,289,200
Urban collector 1,088 817,405 4,787,400 170 182,346 874,275
Urban local road 1,371 511,093 1,483,777 205 62,692 176,095
Total 26,927 13,805,532 137,500,040 2,563 1,539,558 11,740,504

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 1,362 $3,896 10,418,969 1,249,954
Widening & rehabilitation 273 $774 3,744,490 357,359
Rehabilitation 2,344 $3,194 13,398,539 1,503,630
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 62 $345 3,490,700 156,459
Other structural work 133 $443 1,815,520 207,418
Total 4,174 $8,652 32,868,218 3,474,820

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. 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 2023 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.

12
Compared to 12 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
11. New York 10.0%
12. Illinois 10.0%
13. Massachusetts 9.0%

3
Compared to 3 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
2. Pennsylvania 2,813
3. Illinois 2,563
4. Missouri 2,163

6
Compared to 5 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
5. Massachusetts 11.0%
6. Illinois 11.0%
7. Maine 10.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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