National Bridge Inventory: North Dakota



  • Of the 4,281 bridges in the state, 449, or 10.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 469 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 5.6 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 3 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 98.0 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.
  • 740 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 1,366 bridges at an estimated cost of $475.6 million.
  • This compares to 1,417 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Grand Forks 1963 21,500 Urban other principal arterial US Highway 2 over Red River of The North
Grand Forks 1972 18,500 Urban other principal arterial Nd 297/Demers Ave over BNRR-City Street
Grand Forks 1950 4,650 Rural Interstate Interstate 29 over County Drain No 11
Morton 1962 2,250 Rural Interstate Interstate 94 over Co Hwy RR/Eagle Nest Int
Cass 1990 1,925 Urban minor arterial North Broadway over Red River of The North
Cass 1971 1,750 Rural major collector County Highway over Sheyenne River
Walsh 1959 1,500 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 54 over Red River of The North
Stark 1979 1,460 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 22 over Antelope Creek
Stark 1978 1,420 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 22 over Antelope Creek
Billings 1964 1,300 Rural Interstate Interstate 94 over Sheep Creek
Hettinger 1960 830 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 22 over Cannonball River
Mercer 1950 790 Rural arterial ND Highway 2 over B N R R Sep Oh
Mercer 1950 780 Rural arterial ND Highway 2 over Branch of Raymond Creek
Cass 1985 700 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 18 over Maple River
McLean 1959 640 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 41 over Painted Woods Creek
Towner 1931 640 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 17 over Creek
Dunn 1957 570 Rural arterial ND Highway 2 over Creek
Towner 1962 560 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 17 over Mauvais Coulee
Richland 1956 540 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 127 over Creek
Hettinger 1912 500 Rural local road Main St over Cannonball River
Benson 1936 450 Rural arterial US Highway 281 over BNRR Sep.
McHenry 1939 430 Rural major collector County Highway over Cut Bank Creek
Morton 1960 405 Rural major collector County Highway over Creek
Walsh 1935 400 Rural local road County Road over Creek
Stutsman 1958 400 Rural minor arterial ND Highway 30 over I 94/Streeter Interchg
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 148 91,484 665,781 3 1,853 8,200
Rural arterial 367 194,468 730,403 5 1,617 2,940
Rural minor arterial 254 110,465 254,490 11 6,248 9,080
Rural major collector 884 248,130 272,297 26 7,624 6,430
Rural minor collector 12 3,281 1,295 2 796 400
Rural local road 2,357 341,072 108,965 398 40,847 10,299
Urban Interstate 59 82,425 757,935 0 0 0
Urban freeway/expressway 0 0 0 0 0 0
Urban other principal arterial 79 146,899 800,111 2 14,196 40,000
Urban minor arterial 65 86,782 373,024 1 1,011 1,925
Urban collector 23 15,764 58,070 0 0 0
Urban local road 33 10,566 39,947 1 133 20
Total 4,281 1,331,336 4,062,318 449 74,324 79,294
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 505 $173 34,329 85,451
Widening & rehabilitation 393 $108 137,900 78,673
Rehabilitation 389 $126 179,514 92,041
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 22 $29 74,275 20,820
Other structural work 57 $40 105,143 29,415
Total 1,366 $476 531,161 306,400

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.

10
Compared to 9 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
9. Michigan 11.0%
10. North Dakota 11.0%
11. Oklahoma 10.0%

30
Compared to 28 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
29. Colorado 452
30. North Dakota 449
31. Massachusetts 444

23
Compared to 24 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
22. District of Columbia 6.0%
23. North Dakota 6.0%
24. North Carolina 6.0%
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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