National Bridge Inventory: New Jersey



  • Of the 6,805 bridges in the state, 455, or 6.7 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 544 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2018.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 6.9 percent of total deck area on all structures.
  • 31 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 64.8 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.
  • 278 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 2,526 bridges at an estimated cost of $12.5 billion.
  • This compares to 2,305 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Hudson 1939 159,000 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 495 over US1&9,Paterson Plank Rd
Hudson 1951 137,601 Urban freeway/expressway NJ495EB &Rmps B, J over NJ 3 EB & US 1 Ramp
Passaic 1969 134,739 Urban Interstate I-80 over Pas Riv,Mcbride & Rvrvw
Essex 1970 130,764 Urban Interstate Njtpk Snw&Nsw Rwy over Passaic Riv,Pcrr,Crr,Con
Hunterdon 1941 125,735 Urban Interstate I-78 over Beaver Brook
Passaic 1939 124,421 Urban other principal arterial US 46 over Lower Notch Road
Bergen 1932 109,780 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 17 over NYS & W RR Spur
Bergen 1931 109,780 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 17 over NYS & W RR
Bergen 1963 109,110 Urban Interstate I-80WB, EB Exp over Rte 17SB, Gregg St & RR
Bergen 1931 102,566 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 17 over West Central Avenue
Bergen 1931 93,770 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Teaneck Road
Bergen 1931 90,800 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Grand Ave. (NJ 93,CR501)
Bergen 1931 90,262 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Hackensack Rivr & Road
Camden 1956 88,676 Urban Interstate I-76 over Newton Ck,Klemm Av&Conrl
Bergen 1970 88,274 Urban Interstate Njtpk Snw-Nsw Rwys over Hackensack River
Bergen 1931 87,130 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Palsd Av,Wndsr Rd&CSX RR
Essex 1932 86,394 Urban freeway/expressway U.S. 1+9 over Passaic R,NJ Tpk,Conrail
Hudson 1932 84,700 Urban freeway/expressway U.S. 1+9 over Hackensack & Passaic Riv
Essex 1972 83,023 Urban Interstate I-78EB Outer,Ramps over Conrail (Mp 11.33)
Essex 1973 81,422 Urban Interstate I-78 WB Ramps over Conrail Mp 11.25
Hudson 1927 75,679 Urban other principal arterial NJ 139 over Conrail (Aban Eirie-LAc)
Camden 1956 72,458 Urban Interstate I-676 NB & Ramp Fn over Newton Creek
Union 1929 72,246 Urban other principal arterial US 22 over Echo Lake
Union 1928 71,800 Urban other principal arterial US 22 over Elizabeth River
Burlington 1925 70,736 Urban other principal arterial US 130 over Pompeston 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 55 98,239 2,567,088 2 1,278 114,332
Rural arterial 82 171,356 1,863,184 10 7,558 184,825
Rural minor arterial 92 51,777 661,638 12 5,257 85,620
Rural major collector 156 50,059 550,769 13 3,012 41,379
Rural minor collector 75 19,470 167,820 4 441 4,802
Rural local road 521 85,343 400,214 42 3,668 24,642
Urban Interstate 1,078 2,736,537 64,382,180 29 148,329 1,685,312
Urban freeway/expressway 860 1,442,888 46,173,006 24 131,860 1,466,790
Urban other principal arterial 919 1,307,699 26,683,987 91 91,514 2,298,502
Urban minor arterial 1,216 881,257 14,626,836 109 97,028 1,358,494
Urban collector 738 328,105 4,620,231 56 17,890 317,746
Urban local road 1,013 370,462 3,560,513 63 14,827 156,679
Total 6,805 7,543,192 166,257,466 455 522,662 7,739,123
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 699 $2,509 11,027,876 453,818
Widening & rehabilitation 602 $1,933 11,357,521 506,274
Rehabilitation 217 $2,414 4,651,966 626,392
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 107 $435 2,880,070 113,747
Other structural work 901 $5,221 21,669,252 1,365,096
Total 2,526 $12,513 51,586,685 3,065,327

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.

22
Compared to 21 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
21. North Carolina 7.0%
22. New Jersey 7.0%
23. Wyoming 7.0%

27
Compared to 27 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
26. South Carolina 477
27. New Jersey 455
28. Florida 455

16
Compared to 18 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
15. Connecticut 7.0%
16. New Jersey 7.0%
17. Pennsylvania 7.0%
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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