I-294 SB TO I-290
Carrying I-294 SB TO I-290 over I290
I294 RMP TO I290 P20, Cook, Illinois
Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026
FHWA NBI record, refreshed with each annual release.
I-294 SB TO I-290 in Cook, Illinois sits above 68% of rated Illinois bridges on inventory load rating (36 t), while its 1958 build year is earlier than 58% of Cook's recorded-year cohort (1,721 bridges).
I-294 SB TO I-290 in Cook, Illinois is rated Poor in the FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory. Built in 1958, it carries 3 rated components on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, and its weakest reported component scores 4. The lowest applicable rating sets the federal condition category, so this Poor result describes the weakest reported component rather than the structure as a whole. No NBI category is a closure decision or a live crossing-safety verdict.
NBI record plate
Structure IL:016986200000000
INTERSTATE-ERA · PRESTRESS · LONG-SPAN-RUN · DECK-LED · ARTERIAL-ADT · STANDARD-LOAD · CAT-POOR
- INTERSTATE-ERA 1950–1979
- PRESTRESS Prestressed concrete
- LONG-SPAN-RUN 4 spans
- DECK-LED Deck-led
- ARTERIAL-ADT Arterial ADT
- STANDARD-LOAD Standard load
- CAT-POOR Poor
Inspection-sheet codes from this record’s year, material family, spans, controlling component, ADT, inventory load, and NBI category, not a live closure verdict.
Bridge Snapshot: I-294 SB TO I-290
The I-294 SB TO I-290 bridge in Cook, Illinois carries I-294 SB TO I-290 over I290. It was built in 1958, making it 68 years old today. The structure is built primarily of prestressed concrete and spans 4 sections, stretching 79.2 meters (260 feet) end to end. Daily traffic averages 4,900 vehicles, placing it in the moderately-trafficked tier of Illinois bridges. It is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
The latest FHWA inspection records show a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure at 5/9, substructure at 5/9. The weakest component sits in poor condition. A component scored 4 or below, placing this bridge in the federal Poor condition category rather than declaring it unsafe or closed.
How I-294 SB TO I-290 compares
Age against the county: built in 1958, earlier than 996 of Cook's 1,721 bridges with a recorded construction year (58%), against a county median build year of 1962. Age is not a defect on its own, but it is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn.
Live comparison across Illinois bridges with a recorded inventory load rating (26,904 of 26,928 rated).
I-294 SB TO I-290 vs every rated Illinois bridge
Inventory load rating (metric tons), FHWA NBI, this state
36 Top 32% higher than 68% of 26,904 bridges
rated Illinois bridges, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more bridges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · August 2026
Condition Ratings
Full 0–9 scale + sufficiency-rating breakdown: how condition ratings work.
Reported 0–9 component ratings from the FHWA NBI. The highlighted component is the lowest reported input to this record’s current condition category; it is not a closure or live crossing-safety decision.
Cook inventory by recorded NBI category
Exclusive Good/Fair/Poor bands across all 1,721 bridges in this county. Orthogonal to this structure's component profile above: a county catalog share, not a live crossing-safety verdict.
Structural Details
- Year Built
- 1958
- Material
- Prestressed Concrete
- Number of Spans
- 4
- Structure Length
- 79.2 m (260 ft)
- Deck Width
- 12.5 m (41 ft)
- Owner
- State Toll Authority
- Avg Daily Traffic
- 4,900 vehicles/day
- Structure Number
- 016986200000000
Condition Analysis
- • At 4/9, the deck (driving surface) is in poor shape, with advanced wear on file for this vintage.
- • The superstructure (beams and supports above the deck) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
- • The substructure (piers and abutments) is in fair condition (5/9), with minor deterioration that may require routine maintenance.
Location
Data Source
FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
FHWA NBI Program ↗How to read this record
I-294 SB TO I-290 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 I-294 SB TO I-290 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 I-294 SB TO I-290?
I-294 SB TO I-290 in Cook, Illinois has a deck rating of 4/9, superstructure rating of 5/9, and substructure rating of 5/9 on the FHWA's 0–9 scale.
How often is I-294 SB TO I-290 inspected?
I-294 SB TO I-290'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 4,900 vehicles per day.
What does “structurally deficient” mean in older bridge reports?
FHWA retired that reported status beginning with the 2018 archive. I-294 SB TO I-290 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 I-294 SB TO I-290?
I-294 SB TO I-290 has an NBI inventory load rating of 35.6 metric tons.
Who is responsible for maintaining I-294 SB TO I-290?
I-294 SB TO I-290 is owned and maintained by State Toll Authority.
How old is I-294 SB TO I-290 and does age affect safety?
I-294 SB TO I-290 was built in 1958, making it 68 years old.
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.
Share this inspection record
Send this source-bounded record or download its data card. An NBI condition category is not a closure or live crossing-safety verdict.
Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component ratings, ADT, and condition category on this page are copied from the NBI record for this structure; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.