Fun fact: Covered bridges were roofed to protect the wood, not the travelers.
Fun fact: Covered bridges were roofed to protect the wood, not the travelers.
Infrastructure Grade
Infrastructure Report Card
11.1% of bridges in poor condition
Total Bridges
4,250
Poor Condition
470(11.1%)
Avg Bridge Age
49 yrs
Trend
Declining
| Metric | North Dakota | National Avg | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| % Poor Condition | 11.1% | 6.7% | Declining |
| vs. National Average | +4.4 pts | -- | -- |
| Average Bridge Age | 49 yrs | 48 yrs | -- |
| Good or Better | 1,734(40.8%) | -- | -- |
Grade Scale
Percentage of bridges in poor condition over time. The dashed line shows the national average for comparison.
Total Bridges
4,250
Poor Condition
470(11.1%)
Average Age
49 yrs
Daily Crossings
4.1M
Good or Better
1,734(40.8%)
These bridges have at least one major component rated "5" (Fair) — one step above the poor threshold. Sorted by daily traffic to highlight highest-impact structures at risk.
| Bridge | Location | Deck | Super | Sub | Daily Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INTERSTATE 94 | Cass County | 6 | 8 | 5 | 49,800 |
| RAMP TO I-94 EB | Cass County | 6 | 5 | 6 | 49,800 |
| INTERSTATE 94 | Cass County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24,900 |
| INTERSTATE 94 | Cass County | 5 | 6 | 5 | 24,900 |
| US 10/MAIN AVENUE | Cass County | 7 | 6 | 5 | 24,100 |
| US HIGHWAY 2 | Grand Forks County | 7 | 5 | 6 | 21,500 |
| INTERSTATE 29 | Cass County | 5 | 7 | 7 | 21,065 |
| ND 294-12TH AVE N | Cass County | 6 | 6 | 5 | 18,500 |
| 12 AVE NO FARGO | Cass County | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17,000 |
| 1ST AVE NORTH | Cass County | 7 | 5 | 7 | 16,700 |
| ND HIGHWAY 13 | Richland County | 7 | 7 | 5 | 15,200 |
| US HIGHWAY 281 | Stutsman County | 5 | 5 | 6 | 13,300 |
| BISMARCK EXPWY. | Burleigh County | 5 | 5 | 6 | 13,000 |
| 16TH ST S.W. | Ward County | 5 | 6 | 6 | 12,800 |
| US 2 BUSINESS LOOP | Grand Forks County | 7 | 5 | 6 | 12,600 |
The 10 bridges in poorest condition, ranked by lowest sufficiency rating.
over WILD RICE RIVER
over COULEE
over SHEYENNE RIVER
over SHEYENNE RIVER
over PIPESTEM CREEK
over JAMES RIVER
over PARK RIVER
over SHEYENNE RIVER
over WILD RICE RIVER
over LITTLE SO. PEMBINA RIVER
States with similar infrastructure profiles, ranked by percentage of bridges in poor condition.
Grading: Grades are based on the percentage of bridges classified as "poor condition." A bridge is in poor condition when at least one major component (deck, superstructure, or substructure) is rated 4 or below on the NBI 0-9 scale.
Data Source: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Data is updated annually. BridgeStats is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FHWA.
Watchlist Criteria: Bridges with any component rated "5" (Fair) are one step from the poor threshold of 4 and are flagged for monitoring. These bridges are not yet in poor condition but may deteriorate without maintenance.