National Bridge Inventory: New Jersey



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 2,541 bridges.
  • This compares to 2,357 bridges that needed work in 2019.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, New Jersey will receive a total of $1.2 billion in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • New Jersey currently has access to $492.2 million of that total, and has committed $141.5 million towards 21 projects as of June 2023.
  • Of the 6,820 bridges in the state, 442, or 6.5 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 529 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2019.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 6.5 percent of total deck area on all structures.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
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 128,249 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 92,725 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 17 over West Central Avenue
Bergen 1931 91,575 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Teaneck Road
Bergen 1931 90,262 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Hackensack Rivr & Road
Camden 1956 89,562 Urban Interstate I-76 over Newton Ck,Klemm Av&Conrl
Bergen 1931 88,880 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Palsd Av,Wndsr Rd&CSX RR
Hudson 1954 85,330 Urban other principal arterial US1+9T over Hackensack River
Hudson 1932 84,700 Urban freeway/expressway U.S. 1&9 over Hackensack & Passaic Riv
Essex 1932 84,212 Urban freeway/expressway US 1&9 over Passaic R,NJ Tpk,Conrail
Bergen 1931 83,252 Urban freeway/expressway NJ 4 over Grand Ave. (NJ 93,CR501)
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
Middlesex 1932 67,565 Urban other principal arterial US 1 over Forrestal Road
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 98,242 2,585,851 2 1,278 114,337
Rural arterial 82 171,356 1,873,418 10 7,558 185,916
Rural minor arterial 92 50,595 673,755 12 5,257 85,057
Rural major collector 157 50,257 562,923 14 3,781 42,360
Rural minor collector 74 18,439 148,378 4 441 4,802
Rural local road 520 85,385 400,787 40 3,402 23,023
Urban Interstate 1,078 2,740,590 64,211,797 28 120,216 1,606,267
Urban freeway/expressway 865 1,446,533 46,387,182 21 119,466 1,232,507
Urban other principal arterial 923 1,309,883 27,049,293 90 104,710 2,392,293
Urban minor arterial 1,217 878,997 14,812,182 107 96,775 1,300,877
Urban collector 738 327,460 4,586,054 53 16,729 299,009
Urban local road 1,019 377,513 3,614,952 61 15,126 142,541
Total 6,820 7,555,249 166,906,572 442 494,737 7,428,989
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 700 $3,888 11,029,847 451,752
Widening & rehabilitation 611 $3,007 11,338,363 508,041
Rehabilitation 218 $3,885 4,879,792 651,375
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 109 $681 2,917,998 114,784
Other structural work 903 $8,059 21,701,905 1,359,375
Total 2,541 $19,520 51,867,905 3,085,326

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on July 3, 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 2022 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.

25
Compared to 22 in 2022

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
24. Wyoming 7.0%
25. New Jersey 7.0%
26. Mississippi 6.0%

31
Compared to 27 in 2022

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,558
30. Florida 449
31. New Jersey 442
32. Colorado 437

18
Compared to 16 in 2022

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 15.0%
17. New Hampshire 7.0%
18. New Jersey 7.0%
19. Louisiana 6.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on July 3, 2023. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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