National Bridge Inventory: Missouri



  • Of the 24,569 bridges in the state, 2,230, or 9.1 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is up from 2,116 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 8.2 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 53 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 93.4 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.
  • 3,995 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 4,595 bridges at an estimated cost of $2.1 billion.
  • This compares to 4,811 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
St. Louis 1964 174,239 Urban Interstate IS 270 E over CST Conway Rd
St. Louis 1965 133,939 Urban Interstate IS 270 E over CST West Port Plaza Dr
St. Louis 1931 121,822 Urban Interstate IS 270 E over Maline Cr
Jackson 1969 107,893 Urban minor arterial Rt W E over Br Blue Rvr
Platte 1957 103,848 Urban Interstate IS 29 S over Rt Aa
St. Louis 1968 97,230 Urban Interstate IS 170 E over Rvr Des Peres
Clay 1972 89,963 Urban Interstate IS 435 S over Missouri Rvr, CST NE Bir
Clay 1967 89,963 Urban Interstate IS 435 S over Drain Dtch
Jackson 1964 78,729 Urban Interstate IS 435 S over Grave Cr
St. Louis 1960 67,080 Urban Interstate IS 270 W over Rt N
St. Louis 1961 60,728 Urban Interstate IS 270 E over Rt Ac
St. Louis 1960 59,765 Urban Interstate IS 270 E over Rt N
St. Louis 1956 55,174 Urban Interstate IS 64 E over CST Vandeventer Ave, Cst
St. Louis 1937 45,900 Urban other principal arterial Kingshighway over Metrolink
St. Louis 1961 45,784 Urban freeway/expressway Rt D E over US 67
St. Louis 1961 43,312 Urban Interstate IS 270 W over Rt Ac
Jackson 1960 42,779 Urban Interstate IS 70 W over CST Van Brunt Blvd
St. Louis 1964 39,375 Urban Interstate IS 64 E over IS 44, CST 4th St, Cst
Cooper 1960 39,097 Rural Interstate IS 70 E over Missouri Rvr, Katy Trail
Clay 1955 37,270 Urban freeway/expressway US 169 S over Missouri Rvr, CST W 4th,
St. Louis 1968 34,903 Rural Interstate IS 44 W over Meramec Rvr, South Outer
St. Louis 1961 33,500 Urban minor arterial Lindell-Union over Forest Park Pkwy
St. Charles 1971 32,532 Urban Interstate IS 64 W over IS 70
Jackson 1979 30,000 Urban local road Arlington St over Rock Cr
St. Louis 1929 30,000 Urban minor arterial Lindell-Union over Metrolink
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 475 531,403 6,628,127 22 44,182 305,310
Rural arterial 1,187 1,144,238 7,649,356 51 68,603 267,467
Rural minor arterial 1,100 671,562 2,933,570 88 55,481 181,813
Rural major collector 3,866 1,375,456 3,794,087 434 183,567 375,244
Rural minor collector 1,016 224,195 371,383 104 27,150 36,603
Rural local road 12,230 1,744,089 1,004,311 1,268 135,526 89,830
Urban Interstate 898 1,883,260 34,577,338 31 155,729 1,430,764
Urban freeway/expressway 630 969,347 12,274,756 18 49,966 300,436
Urban other principal arterial 483 648,929 7,655,909 25 48,033 396,539
Urban minor arterial 868 832,066 7,718,413 49 58,565 513,191
Urban collector 809 463,510 3,194,733 49 33,462 167,251
Urban local road 1,007 285,927 1,351,419 91 20,271 143,088
Total 24,569 10,773,981 89,153,402 2,230 880,537 4,207,536
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 2,560 $1,108 3,545,906 790,589
Widening & rehabilitation 1 $2 5,934 1,810
Rehabilitation 1,992 $947 8,917,757 1,003,431
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 0 $0 0 0
Other structural work 42 $10 11,551 10,308
Total 4,595 $2,067 12,481,148 1,806,139

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.

13
Compared to 13 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
12. New York 9.0%
13. Missouri 9.0%
14. Illinois 9.0%

4
Compared to 5 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
3. Illinois 2,423
4. Missouri 2,230
5. Oklahoma 2,207

10
Compared to 12 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
9. Puerto Rico 9.0%
10. Missouri 8.0%
11. Michigan 8.0%
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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