National Bridge Inventory: Pennsylvania



  • Of the 23,202 bridges in the Commonwealth, 3,112, or 13.4 percent, are classified as structurally deficient. This means one of the key elements is in poor or worse condition.
  • This is down from 3,770 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.
  • 77 of the structurally deficient bridges are on the Interstate Highway System. A total of 91.5 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.
  • 2,079 bridges are posted for load, which may restrict the size and weight of vehicles crossing the structure.
  • The state has identified needed repairs on 12,177 bridges at an estimated cost of $19.2 billion.
  • This compares to 11,758 bridges that needed work in 2018.

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Philadelphia 1967 201,923 Urban Interstate Interstate 95 over Fraley Street
Philadelphia 1967 201,923 Urban Interstate Interstate 95 over Tacony St.And Bridge St.
Philadelphia 1967 201,923 Urban Interstate Interstate 95 over Comly Street
Philadelphia 1965 198,281 Urban Interstate Delaware Expway. over Sergeant & Huntingdon St
Philadelphia 1971 198,281 Urban Interstate Delaware Expway. over Palmer-Cumberland Strs.
Philadelphia 1968 162,308 Urban Interstate Interstate 95 over earth fill & sewer access
Philadelphia 1965 127,666 Urban Interstate Delaware Expway. over Wheatsheaf Lane
Philadelphia 1965 127,666 Urban Interstate Delaware Expway. over Venango Street
Lehigh 1952 88,412 Urban freeway/expressway US 22(LR 771) over Twp.Rd.567* Mickley Road
Chester 1961 76,991 Urban freeway/expressway Route 30 By-Pass over Creek Rd, Brandywine Ck.
York 1959 68,587 Urban Interstate I-83; SR 83 over 22/Springwood Rd
Berks 1963 66,986 Urban freeway/expressway SR 422 (Lr793) over Thun Recreational Trail
Berks 1963 63,844 Urban freeway/expressway SR 422(LR 793) over Schuylkill River
York 1957 51,776 Urban Interstate 83 over 181 George St
York 1959 51,776 Urban Interstate I-83; SR 83 over US 30; SR 30
Montgomery 1965 50,793 Urban freeway/expressway Pottstown Exprsway over Sanatoga Rd, Sanatoga Cr
Philadelphia 1960 50,762 Urban freeway/expressway Roosevelt Blvd Ext over Roberts Ave;Septa;CSX
Bucks 1954 46,280 Urban Interstate Pa Tpk (I-276) over T-346,Blomsdal Rd
Bucks 1954 46,280 Urban Interstate Pa Turnpike(I-276) over Bristol Ind.RR:Db-252
Berks 1956 45,122 Rural Interstate SR 78(LR 285 Sp) over Branch Maiden Creek
Berks 1957 45,122 Rural Interstate SR 78(LR 285 Sp) over Twp.Rd 774(Hausman Rd.)
Philadelphia 1955 45,070 Urban other principal arterial Roosevelt Blvd. over 5th Street (overpass)
Luzerne 1963 43,330 Urban other principal arterial Tr309 Cross Valley over Toby Creek
Luzerne 1963 43,330 Rural arterial Tr309 Cross Valley over Toby Creek
Montgomery 1965 43,271 Urban freeway/expressway EB County Line Exp over North Gulph 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 1,046 1,018,150 18,432,846 28 25,306 592,604
Rural arterial 1,003 1,048,406 7,560,719 31 11,069 286,343
Rural minor arterial 1,444 536,742 5,125,557 134 26,271 387,175
Rural major collector 1,913 587,884 3,132,000 192 49,407 319,786
Rural minor collector 2,055 419,815 1,467,892 285 43,707 191,791
Rural local road 7,355 1,157,962 2,918,088 1,557 193,836 542,187
Urban Interstate 1,455 3,098,184 55,629,644 49 134,946 2,427,210
Urban freeway/expressway 921 1,338,158 23,886,489 30 61,902 928,674
Urban other principal arterial 1,448 1,850,731 22,442,529 132 133,965 2,101,666
Urban minor arterial 1,517 1,094,415 13,207,853 164 85,870 1,438,809
Urban collector 1,452 604,506 5,666,179 183 55,751 714,356
Urban local road 1,593 609,763 3,801,642 327 102,851 679,901
Total 23,202 13,364,717 163,271,438 3,112 924,881 10,610,502
Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 1,779 $1,468 4,524,053 386,170
Widening & rehabilitation 106 $366 806,567 147,544
Rehabilitation 7,336 $13,115 64,910,649 5,216,748
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 938 $1,580 6,060,573 623,441
Other structural work 2,018 $2,690 10,264,443 1,060,276
Total 12,177 $19,219 86,566,285 7,434,178

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.

6
Compared to 5 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. West Virginia 20.0%
5. Maine 14.0%
6. Pennsylvania 13.0%
7. Puerto Rico 13.0%

2
Compared to 2 in 2021

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,604
2. Pennsylvania 3,112
3. Illinois 2,423

17
Compared to 15 in 2021

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. Rhode Island 17.0%
16. New Jersey 7.0%
17. Pennsylvania 7.0%
18. Alaska 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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