National Bridge Inventory: Minnesota



  • Of the 13,497 bridges in the state, 602, or 4.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 668 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 5.0 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 20 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 92.2 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.
  • 1,265 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 2,552 bridges at an estimated cost of $1.6 billion.
  • This compares to 2,757 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Dakota 1959 92,000 Urban Interstate I 35W over UP RR, Cliff Rd (Csah32)
Anoka 1962 66,000 Urban freeway/expressway US 10 over Rum River
Hennepin 1981 46,000 Urban Interstate I 494 over Minnesota River
Hennepin 1981 46,000 Urban Interstate I 494 over Minnesota River
Ramsey 1964 42,500 Urban freeway/expressway Mn 36 over I 35W
Hennepin 1967 39,000 Urban other principal arterial Mn 55 over Franklin Ave
Blue Earth 1976 39,000 Urban freeway/expressway US 14 over Th 169
Hennepin 1967 39,000 Urban other principal arterial Mn 55 over Cedar Ave
Blue Earth 1976 39,000 Urban freeway/expressway US 14 over Minn River; UP RR
Ramsey 1986 38,500 Urban other principal arterial US 61 over Bike Path
St. Louis 1961 33,021 Urban Interstate I 535 over St Louis R; RR,Street
St. Louis 1968 24,100 Urban other principal arterial Mn 194 over Superior St(Msas171)
St. Louis 1972 22,800 Urban other principal arterial US 53 over 19th; 20th St Conn
Hennepin 1972 22,700 Urban minor arterial Csah 9 over US 169
Blue Earth 1985 20,700 Urban minor arterial Unu 169 over Minn R, UP RR; Street
Polk 1963 18,900 Urban other principal arterial US 2 over Red River
Hennepin 1927 18,700 Urban minor arterial Csah 158 over Cp Rail
Anoka 1958 18,037 Urban other principal arterial Mn 65 over Coon Creek
Ramsey 1926 17,600 Urban minor arterial Mn 3 over Mississippi River; RR
Ramsey 2009 17,445 Urban minor arterial Csah 49 over BNSF RR
Ramsey 1936 17,300 Urban minor arterial Msas 158 over Msas 258(Exchange)
Dakota 1969 16,800 Urban minor arterial Msas 102 over I 35W
Ramsey 1967 16,500 Urban minor arterial Msas 233 over Cp Rail
Blue Earth 1977 16,250 Urban freeway/expressway US 14 over N Riverfront Dr
Grant 1963 15,300 Rural Interstate I 94 over Pelican Creek
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 220 186,065 2,319,601 9 4,771 89,105
Rural arterial 627 405,721 3,358,540 13 7,110 70,439
Rural minor arterial 1,037 472,862 2,389,537 24 17,447 44,223
Rural major collector 1,892 627,659 1,589,118 80 24,264 63,005
Rural minor collector 1,318 342,620 398,073 74 14,166 24,712
Rural local road 5,602 825,047 410,895 293 35,383 18,837
Urban Interstate 514 1,080,402 18,000,102 11 107,032 270,571
Urban freeway/expressway 323 714,331 11,321,608 6 17,522 217,500
Urban other principal arterial 282 523,201 4,814,767 14 23,158 232,671
Urban minor arterial 765 1,349,501 9,482,318 33 85,672 344,485
Urban collector 518 414,340 2,136,648 21 13,742 85,048
Urban local road 399 187,193 660,504 24 8,413 36,820
Total 13,497 7,128,943 56,881,711 602 358,680 1,497,416
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 7 $1 1,732 442
Widening & rehabilitation 1 $0 1,550 96
Rehabilitation 603 $526 1,497,421 358,735
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 2 $0 47 168
Other structural work 1,939 $1,093 9,197,423 775,548
Total 2,552 $1,620 10,698,173 1,134,989

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.

40
Compared to 40 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
39. Ohio 5.0%
40. Minnesota 5.0%
41. Tennessee 4.0%

23
Compared to 23 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
22. Arkansas 674
23. Minnesota 602
24. Alabama 575

27
Compared to 33 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
26. Arkansas 5.0%
27. Minnesota 5.0%
28. Kentucky 5.0%
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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