America's Bridges Are Getting Better: A Decade of Data (2016-2025)

There is a persistent narrative that American infrastructure is crumbling. And while there are real challenges -- the average U.S. bridge is 48 years old, and 41,685 bridges remain in poor condition -- the trend line tells a more optimistic story.

Over the past decade, the share of U.S. bridges rated "poor" has declined from 7.9% in 2016 to 6.7% in 2025. That may sound like a small number, but given the scale -- over 624,191 bridges nationwide -- it represents thousands of structures that have been repaired, rehabilitated, or replaced.

Three factors are converging to improve national bridge conditions. First, federal investment has increased substantially. The FAST Act (2015), followed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021), provided historic levels of bridge funding. The Bridge Formula Program alone distributes $5.5 billion per year to states for bridge repair and replacement.

Second, state DOTs have become more strategic about bridge management. Modern bridge management systems use predictive modeling to schedule maintenance before bridges deteriorate to poor condition, which is both more effective and less expensive than waiting for a bridge to fail.

Third, bridge replacement cycles are accelerating. Many bridges built during the Interstate construction boom of the 1960s reached the end of their design life in the 2010s and 2020s. As these aging bridges are replaced with modern structures, the overall inventory gets newer and the poor-condition percentage drops.

Even with the improvement, the numbers remain sobering. 41,685 bridges in poor condition means that somewhere in America, a bridge carrying daily traffic has a deck, superstructure, or substructure that scores a 4 or below on the FHWA's 0-9 condition scale. These bridges are safe to drive on -- inspectors would close them otherwise -- but they have deteriorated to a point where significant investment is needed.

The next five years will be critical. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is flowing to states now, and many major bridge projects are in the design or construction phase. If the current trajectory holds, the national poor-condition rate could drop below 5% by 2030 -- a level not seen since the early days of the National Bridge Inventory.

But the challenge is not just about fixing today's worst bridges. It is about preventing the next wave of deterioration. Bridges built in the 1980s and 1990s are now 30-40 years old and entering the window where deferred maintenance compounds. The states that invest proactively will avoid repeating the cycle. Those that defer will face a new wave of poor-condition bridges in the 2030s.

Explore the full condition data for any state by visiting our [state report cards](/reports), or [search](/search) for a specific bridge to see its complete condition history.