WESTERN AV/31ST
Carrying WESTERN AV/31ST over SANITARY&SHIP CANAL
3100 S WESTERN AVE, Cook, Illinois
Data updated May 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
Bridge Snapshot: WESTERN AV/31ST
The WESTERN AV/31ST bridge in Cook, Illinois carries WESTERN AV/31ST over SANITARY&SHIP CANAL. It was built in 1940, making it 86 years old today. It was last reconstructed in 1996, extending its service life. The structure is built primarily of steel and spans 1 section, stretching 89.9 meters (295 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 24,800 vehicles, placing it in the heavily-trafficked tier of Illinois bridges. It is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure at 4/9, substructure at 4/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. Because at least one major component scores 4 or lower, this bridge falls in FHWA's Poor condition category. That category is not a closure order. Its NBI inventory load rating is 34.0 metric tons.
Sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See our methodology for refresh cadence and NBI release vintage.
How WESTERN AV/31ST compares
Live comparison across Illinois.
Historical Sufficiency Rating
PlainBridge-computedFHWA discontinued this calculated item; it does not determine current condition, funding eligibility, posting, or closure. How the historical reference is calculated.
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1940
- Last Reconstructed
- 1996
- Material
- Steel
- Number of Spans
- 1
- Structure Length
- 89.9 m (295 ft)
- Deck Width
- 44.3 m (145 ft)
- Owner
- City/Municipal Highway Agency
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 24,800 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 016605600000000
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗Condition Analysis
- • At 5/9, the deck (driving surface) shows fair condition, with minor wear flagged for upkeep.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in poor condition (4/9), showing advanced deterioration that may require priority repair.
How to read this record
WESTERN AV/31ST is in the federal Poor condition category. That is a component-based result, not a closure order.
- NBI condition ratings reflect the latest record in this annual dataset, not a live status. Current routine inspection intervals are risk-based.
- Understand what Poor condition does and does not mean before drawing conclusions. Poor condition explained
- Compare WESTERN AV/31ST against other structures in Cook and across Illinois. Illinois bridges
- Noticed visible damage or a safety concern? Report it to the agency that owns the bridge, or call 911 in an emergency. How to report a bridge
Condition codes come straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory and are not a real-time safety judgment. Only the owning agency, a state DOT, county, or other owner, can post, restrict, or close a bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the condition ratings mean for WESTERN AV/31ST?
WESTERN AV/31ST in Cook, Illinois has a deck rating of 5/9, superstructure rating of 4/9, and substructure rating of 4/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is WESTERN AV/31ST inspected?
WESTERN AV/31ST's responsible agency sets its routine interval under FHWA's risk-based inspection rules; this page does not expose the scheduled interval. It carries about 24,800 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. WESTERN AV/31ST is currently shown as Poor condition from its component ratings; that category is not a live closure or safety decision.
What is the inventory load rating for WESTERN AV/31ST?
WESTERN AV/31ST has an NBI inventory load rating of 34.0 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining WESTERN AV/31ST?
WESTERN AV/31ST is owned and maintained by City/Municipal Highway Agency.
How old is WESTERN AV/31ST and does age affect safety?
WESTERN AV/31ST was built in 1940, making it 86 years old and last reconstructed in 1996.
Disclaimer: Bridge condition data is from the FHWA NBI and reflects the last reported inspection. A Poor condition rating is not a live declaration that a bridge is closed or unsafe for travel. For current closure, posting, or safety information, contact the responsible transportation agency.
Every figure on PlainBridge is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.