National Bridge Inventory: New Mexico



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 1,535 bridges.
  • This compares to 1,563 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, New Mexico will receive a total of $225.0 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • New Mexico currently has access to $180.0 million of that total, and has committed $108.0 million towards 32 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 4,033 bridges in the state, 172, or 4.3 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 208 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 3.4 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in New Mexico

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Bernalillo 1961 119,665 Urban Interstate I-25 NBL over Gibson Blvd
Bernalillo 1978 50,642 Urban Interstate I-40 WBL over Tijeras Arroyo
Bernalillo 1978 50,642 Urban Interstate I-40 EBL over Tijeras Arroyo
Bernalillo 1961 42,600 Urban other principal arterial FL-4018 over I-25 NB/SB
Bernalillo 1976 34,941 Rural Interstate I-40 EBL over Sedillo Hill Road
Santa Fe 1974 34,354 Urban Interstate I-25 NBL over Sf Southern R/R
Santa Fe 1955 30,344 Urban other principal arterial US-84/285 over Unnamed Waterway
Dona Ana 2004 27,926 Urban Interstate I-10 EBL over NM-101,NM-478, BNSF RR
Cibola 1967 26,300 Rural Interstate I-40 WBL over San Jose Canyon
McKinley 1963 25,439 Rural Interstate I-40 EBL over Gov Ord Base/Local Rd.
McKinley 1963 25,439 Rural Interstate I-40 WBL over Gov Ord Base/Local Rd.
Santa Fe 1975 24,998 Rural Interstate I-25 NBL over Arroyo Hondo Rd
McKinley 1950 24,827 Rural Interstate I-40 WBL over Rio Puerco of The West
Dona Ana 2004 23,859 Urban Interstate I-10 WB over NM-101, NM-478, BNSF R/R
Santa Fe 1974 19,503 Urban Interstate I-25 SBL over Sf Southern R/R
Rio Arriba 1957 19,160 Urban other principal arterial NM-68 NB over Santa Cruz River
Bernalillo 1962 17,546 Urban other principal arterial FL-4048 over I-25 NB Frontage Rd
San Juan 1936 16,829 Urban other principal arterial Irr/US64/491 WBL over San Juan River
Santa Fe 1957 15,700 Rural Interstate I-25 NBl/SBL over Valencia Exit
Bernalillo 1969 15,030 Urban other principal arterial FL-4048 over North Diversion Channel
Grant 1961 14,699 Urban minor arterial NM-90 over Pinos Altos Creek
Socorro 1958 12,116 Rural Interstate I-25 NBL over San Lorenzo Arroyo
Rio Arriba 1964 11,253 Rural minor arterial US-84 over Rio Del Oso
Socorro 1964 8,854 Rural Interstate I-25 SBL over Walnut Creek
Socorro 1939 8,854 Rural Interstate I-25 SBL over Madera Canyon

Bridge Inventory: New Mexico

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 546 295,317 8,845,772 17 8,111 246,702
Rural arterial 570 262,937 3,694,796 3 2,616 10,072
Rural minor arterial 475 178,419 1,028,372 15 4,103 22,737
Rural major collector 483 172,604 555,207 32 10,809 27,710
Rural minor collector 320 123,539 113,302 31 10,436 7,864
Rural local road 407 73,954 99,016 44 5,786 8,721
Urban Interstate 326 363,009 16,342,510 7 10,763 326,591
Urban freeway/expressway 20 16,669 567,434 0 0 0
Urban other principal arterial 364 394,904 7,231,992 7 9,706 142,705
Urban minor arterial 160 94,737 1,284,793 5 2,928 22,770
Urban collector 210 100,489 890,267 6 5,991 19,904
Urban local road 152 29,303 83,737 5 392 1,089
Total 4,033 2,105,882 40,737,198 172 71,642 836,865

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 170 $410 1,312,501 58,743
Widening & rehabilitation 26 $83 471,009 14,748
Rehabilitation 1,204 $2,607 9,443,967 495,991
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 62 $276 687,854 52,959
Other structural work 73 $121 152,204 27,791
Total 1,535 $3,498 12,067,535 650,231

About the data:

Data and cost estimates are from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. 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 2023 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.

41
Compared to 39 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
40. Tennessee 4.0%
41. New Mexico 4.0%
42. Vermont 4.0%

43
Compared to 43 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
42. New Hampshire 192
43. New Mexico 172
44. Alaska 124

38
Compared to 33 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
37. Maryland 3.0%
38. New Mexico 3.0%
39. Oregon 3.0%
Full State Ranking

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  • Source: Data is from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI), downloaded on June 24, 2025. Note that specific conditions on bridges may have changed as a result of recent work or updated inspections.

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