National Bridge Inventory: Wisconsin



  • The state has identified needed repairs on 1,746 bridges.
  • This compares to 1,815 bridges that needed work in 2021.
  • Over the life of the IIJA, Wisconsin will receive a total of $225.0 million in bridge formula funds, which will help make needed repairs.
  • Wisconsin currently has access to $180.0 million of that total, and has committed $165.8 million towards 455 projects as of June 2025.
  • Of the 14,498 bridges in the state, 976, 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 987 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2021.
  • The deck area of structurally deficient bridges accounts for 4.3 percent of total deck area on all structures.

Top Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in Wisconsin

County Year Built Daily Crossings Type of Bridge Location
Milwaukee 1959 79,000 Urban Interstate IH 94 WB-E-W Freew over Lrd Mitchell Blvd
Milwaukee 1967 58,500 Urban Interstate IH 41/Ush 45/Sth 1 over Cth W Mill Rd (Cth S)
Milwaukee 1967 58,500 Urban Interstate IH 41/Ush 45/Sth 1 over Cth W Mill Rd (Cth S)
Dunn 1959 35,500 Rural Interstate IH 94 over E Br Wilson Creek
Milwaukee 1958 33,971 Urban other principal arterial Lrd W Silver Sprin over Lincoln Creek
Marathon 1915 28,144 Urban other principal arterial Lrd Stewart Ave over Wisconsin River 31
Douglas 1961 28,098 Urban Interstate I 535 over St Louis R; RR,Street
Milwaukee 1963 26,700 Urban other principal arterial Lrd W Layton Ave over Sth 24-Forest Home Ave
Dane 1956 22,500 Urban other principal arterial Cth M / Century Av over Pheasant Branch Creek
Milwaukee 1936 21,845 Urban minor arterial Lrd N Teutonia Ave over Lincoln Creek
Dane 1968 21,600 Urban other principal arterial Lrd John Nolen Dr over Lake Monona
Dane 1968 21,600 Urban other principal arterial Lrd John Nolen Dr over Lake Monona
Dane 1966 21,600 Urban other principal arterial Lrd John Nolen Dr over Lake Monona
Dane 1975 21,600 Urban other principal arterial Lrd John Nolen Dr over Lake Monona
Dane 1963 21,200 Rural Interstate IH 94 WB over Sth 73
Eau Claire 1988 20,800 Urban other principal arterial USH 12 over Otter Creek
Milwaukee 1939 20,130 Urban other principal arterial Sth 38-Chase Ave over Cnw RR
Dane 1963 19,150 Rural Interstate IH 94 WB over Lrd Missouri Rd
Milwaukee 1987 19,025 Urban other principal arterial Lrd S 43rd St over Kinnickinnick River
Milwaukee 1933 18,735 Urban minor arterial Lrd 35th Street Vi over Lrd W Pierce St
Milwaukee 1934 18,300 Urban other principal arterial Lrd North Ave East over Menomonee River
Milwaukee 1934 18,300 Urban other principal arterial Lrd North Ave - We over Menomonee River
Milwaukee 1966 18,200 Urban Interstate IH 43 NB over Root River Marsh
Milwaukee 1966 17,900 Urban Interstate IH 43 SB-Hale Intr over Root River Marsh
St. Croix 1958 17,800 Rural Interstate IH 94 EB over Eau Galle River

Bridge Inventory: Wisconsin

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 651 534,672 12,924,230 8 3,239 134,357
Rural arterial 1,168 870,919 8,801,853 15 5,249 68,870
Rural minor arterial 1,145 545,065 4,047,069 30 21,468 76,573
Rural major collector 1,811 580,838 2,834,002 202 54,300 274,477
Rural minor collector 735 175,292 646,235 104 18,108 58,318
Rural local road 5,927 995,268 2,053,178 488 56,606 86,845
Urban Interstate 676 1,193,660 23,782,978 6 51,730 260,198
Urban freeway/expressway 213 352,259 4,843,417 0 0 0
Urban other principal arterial 793 998,652 11,879,450 28 23,921 448,690
Urban minor arterial 566 621,458 4,694,770 33 61,706 232,309
Urban collector 202 126,671 850,353 20 5,789 83,006
Urban local road 611 283,779 2,077,570 42 13,445 73,685
Total 14,498 7,278,531 79,435,105 976 315,561 1,797,328

Proposed Bridge Work

Type of Work Number of Bridges Cost to Repair
(in millions)
Daily Crossings Area of Bridges
(sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 1,716 $1,871 12,075,118 1,124,869
Widening & rehabilitation 0 $0 0 0
Rehabilitation 7 $52 29,012 47,837
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 15 $4 13,680 3,049
Other structural work 8 $1 1,592 880
Total 1,746 $1,928 12,119,402 1,176,634

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.

23
Compared to 23 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 19.0%
22. Wyoming 7.0%
23. Wisconsin 7.0%
24. South Carolina 6.0%

17
Compared to 19 in 2024

in the nation in # of structurally deficient bridges

1. Iowa 4,424
16. Indiana 1,043
17. Wisconsin 976
18. Mississippi 967

31
Compared to 32 in 2024

in the nation in % of structurally deficient bridge deck area

1. West Virginia 13.0%
30. Vermont 5.0%
31. Wisconsin 4.0%
32. Indiana 4.0%
Full State Ranking

Advertisement


  • 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.

    ARTBA is a non-partisan federation whose primary goal is to aggressively grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment to meet the public and business demand for safe and efficient travel.

  • Privacy & Cookies Policy
Connect With Us

Copyright © 2025 American Road & Transportation Builders Association