Total bridges
1,721
Public highway bridges in Cook County
County profile · official public datasets
Cook County, IL
1,721 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 28.8% rated Good, 57.5% Fair, 13.8% Poor.
- 1,721
- Public bridges
- 28.8%
- Good condition
- 13.8%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Cook County pairs a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with an older average build year than the state inventory.
- 88th
- of 102 on Poor share
- 13.8%
- Poor-condition share
- 1,721
- public highway bridges
- 1969
- avg year built
Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.
Cook County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Cook County ranks #88 of 102 Illinois counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 13.8%). Cook County, Illinois contains 1,721 public highway bridges. Roughly 28.8% are rated “Good,” 57.5% “Fair,” and 13.8% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.
Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.
Good condition
28.8%
495 of 1,721 rated 7-9
Fair condition
57.5%
989 of 1,721 rated 5-6
Poor condition
13.8%
237 of 1,721 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#88 of 102
Among Illinois counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 1,721 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 28.8% (495)
Fair 57.5% (989)
Poor 13.8% (237)
Cook County's Poor-condition bridges carry 5,864,125 vehicle crossings a day
That is 10% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 13.8% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 24,743 crossings a day against 30,089 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.
Computed over the 1,714 of 1,721 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
65.7% of Cook County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
1,130 of the 1,721 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 28.8% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.
Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
One structure carries 4.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
I- 90 94 RYAN ELEV over CANAL TO STEWART STS, built 1962, carries 256,900 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 237-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 5,864,125 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Cook County's bridges were built
1,721 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- pre-1900 2
Built before 1900
2 bridges
- 1900s 28
1900–1909
28 bridges
- 1910s 20
1910–1919
20 bridges
- 1920s 99
1920–1929
99 bridges
- 1930s 107
1930–1939
107 bridges
- 1940s 66
1940–1949
66 bridges
- 1950s
1950–1959
446 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
315 bridges
- 1970s 71
1970–1979
71 bridges
- 1980s 90
1980–1989
90 bridges
- 1990s 150
1990–1999
150 bridges
- 2000s 145
2000–2009
145 bridges
- 2010s 144
2010–2019
144 bridges
- 2020s 38
2020–2029
38 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1950s, when 446 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 25.9% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 65 to 74 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1969, 10 years older than the Illinois average of 1979.
How Cook County compares with Illinois's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Illinois counties nearest Cook County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 13.8% Poor share is the 5th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1969 against a peer-group mean of 1981 is 12 years older.
Showing the 5 closest of 101 Illinois counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County (this page) | 1,721 | 28.8% | 57.5% | 13.8% | 1969 |
| Champaign County | 727 | 58.9% | 32.5% | 8.7% | 1982 |
| Will County | 649 | 43.1% | 46.4% | 10.5% | 1983 |
| McLean County | 624 | 60.9% | 36.2% | 2.9% | 1981 |
| Livingston County | 579 | 51.8% | 39.9% | 8.3% | 1978 |
| Iroquois County | 570 | 46.5% | 39.1% | 14.4% | 1980 |
Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Cook County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year
Two NBI-derived peer sets for Cook County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside IL (1,721 bridges here).
- San Diego County, CA · 1,632 bridges
- Travis County, TX · 1,544 bridges
- San Bernardino County, CA · 1,422 bridges
- Sedgwick County, KS · 1,333 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside IL (1969 here).
- Fresno County, CA · avg 1969 · 916 bridges
- Cuyahoga County, OH · avg 1969 · 871 bridges
- Ventura County, CA · avg 1969 · 501 bridges
- Somerset County, PA · avg 1969 · 454 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
Fair-condition bridges (989)
I-90 SKYWAY
FairOver: 96TH ST & BRC RR
0.36 M SE COMM AV, Cook, IL
Built 1958 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 28,700
I-294 SB
FairOver: 135TH ST
1.3 M SE ILL 50 P26, Cook, IL
Built 1958 Load: 32.1 t ADT: 66,750
I- 90 94 JFK
FairOver: RR - UP &ASHLAND AVE
0.2 M NW IL 64, Cook, IL
Built 1959 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 221,800
IL 68 (DUNDEE RD)
FairOver: WHEELING DRN DTCH
0.6 M W US 45, Cook, IL
Built 1900 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 24,900
WILLOW RD
FairOver: I- 94 US41 EDENS
4.4 M N IL 58, Cook, IL
Built 1949 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 28,400
NILES CENTER RD
FairOver: I- 94 EDENS
2.2 M N US 14, Cook, IL
Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,900
I-290 & IL 53
FairOver: IL 58 (GOLF RD)
1 M N IL 72, Cook, IL
Built 1969 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 89,800
I- 90 94 SB 2 I-55
FairOver: I- 55 STEVENSON
0.1 M W I-94, Cook, IL
Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,600
I- 90 94 SB TO I55
FairOver: CHI RIV &CANAL P-AVE
1.5 M SW I-290, Cook, IL
Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 34,900
I- 55 EB TO I90 94
FairOver: CHI RIVER; CERMAK;RR
1.4 M SW I-290, Cook, IL
Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 17,300
I- 90 94 RYAN ELEV
FairOver: S BR CHI RIVER
0.2 M N I-55, Cook, IL
Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 229,200
I- 90 94 RYAN ELEV
FairOver: S BR CHGO RIV TO CAN
2 M S I-290, Cook, IL
Built 1962 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 229,200
I-290 WB (NB)
FairOver: RR - UP (SOUTH)
0.6 M S IL 64, Cook, IL
Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 59,750
IL 72
FairOver: TRIB OF W BR SALT CR
0.4M E OF PLUM GROVE, Cook, IL
Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 36,400
IL 64 (NORTH AVE)
FairOver: DITCH
BETWEEN 20TH & 21ST, Cook, IL
Built 1927 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 50,800
NEW AVE
FairOver: DITCH
0.3M W of Stephen St, Cook, IL
Built 1950 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,050
IL 83
FairOver: DITCH
0.4M W of Harlem, Cook, IL
Built 1931 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 15,900
TORRENCE AVE
FairOver: DITCH
0.4 M N SAUK TR, Cook, IL
Built 1953 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,900
WOLF RD
FairOver: MARLEY CRK S-XING
.1M S of US6 SW Hwy, Cook, IL
Built 1927 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,900
I- 55 STEVENSON
FairOver: RR - CN SPUR
0.5 M W IL 43, Cook, IL
Built 1964 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 70,250
115TH ST EB
FairOver: I- 94 BISHOP FORD
3.6 M SE I-57, Cook, IL
Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,800
CALIFORNIA AVE
FairOver: I-290 - IL 110 & CTA
1.1 M W US 34, Cook, IL
Built 1952 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,300
EAST AVE
FairOver: DITCH
300 N OF 58TH, Cook, IL
Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 23,200
26TH ST
FairOver: THORN CREEK
1.0 M E OF WESTERN, Cook, IL
Built 1928 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,200
PALATINE RD
FairOver: SALT CREEK
0.3 M E QUENTIN RD, Cook, IL
Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,000
WOLF RD.
FairOver: FEEHANVILLE DITCH
0.68M.N.OF CENTRAL, Cook, IL
Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,600
I- 90 94 JFK
FairOver: AIR
BETW LOGAN & WESTERN, Cook, IL
Built 1960 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 215,600
IL 64 (NORTH AVE)
FairOver: ADDISON CREEK
0.3 M W US 45, Cook, IL
Built 1999 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 34,800
ROOSEVELT RD
FairOver: METRA ELECTRIC RR
1200S.& 200E., Cook, IL
Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 19,400
LAKE SHORE DRIVE
FairOver: Field Museum Concour
1140 S Lake Shore Dr, Cook, IL
Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 128,500
LAKE SHORE DRIVE
FairOver: 17TH ST CONCOURSE
400 E 1700 S, Cook, IL
Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 135,600
LAKE SHORE DRIVE
FairOver: 18TH DRIVE
1800 S Lake Shore Dr, Cook, IL
Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 135,600
NB LAKE SHORE DRIV
FairOver: TAXI RAMP
2200 S Lake Shore Dr, Cook, IL
Built 1996 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 137,200
123RD ST & PULASKI
FairOver: STONEY CREEK
AT PULASKI RD., Cook, IL
Built 1974 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,400
BARRINGTON RD
FairOver: E BRANCH POPLAR CK
0.5 M S OF IL 72, Cook, IL
Built 1985 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 29,900
IL 50 (CICERO AVE
FairOver: BUTTERFIELD CREEK
0.5 M S VOLLMER RD, Cook, IL
Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 16,800
127TH ST
FairOver: NAVAJO CREEK
0.1 M E OF IL 43, Cook, IL
Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,300
I- 80 294 EB TO NB
FairOver: I- 80 94 & IL 394
I-80 & 94 INTERCH, Cook, IL
Built 2006 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 11,300
WOOD ST
FairOver: CAL UNION DITCH
0.2 M S US 6, Cook, IL
Built 2003 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,600
ROBERTS ROAD
FairOver: STONY CREEK
0.3 M N 111TH P19, Cook, IL
Built 1932 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 14,400
CENTRAL RD
FairOver: Land and Salt Creek
0.56MI W Roselle Rd, Cook, IL
Built 2018 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 6,250
175th Street
FairOver: Cherry Creek
0.5 MI E. of Kedzie Ave, Cook, IL
Built 1976 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 12,300
SCHOENBECK RD
FairOver: MCDONALD CREEK
0.7 M N PALATINE P25, Cook, IL
Built 1961 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 4,200
GARDNER RD
FairOver: ADDISON CR
0.2 M S ROOSEVELTP20, Cook, IL
Built 1957 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,850
FAU-2831 (Kedzie A
FairOver: Midlothian Creek
0.4M.S.OF 135TH ST., Cook, IL
Built 1958 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 10,700
HINTZ ROAD
FairOver: WHEELING DRN DITCH
0.1M E WOLF ROAD, Cook, IL
Built 1994 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 8,850
TECHNY ROAD
FairOver: N. BR CHICAGO RIVER
0.4 M E IL43 P14, Cook, IL
Built 1993 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 7,500
SAUK TRAIL
FairOver: REICHART CREEK
0.2M.W.OF IL-394, Cook, IL
Built 1989 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 18,300
WOLF RD.
FairOver: RELOC.FLAG CREEK
0.2M.N.OF I-55, Cook, IL
Built 1991 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 9,850
LAKE COOK RD
FairOver: IL 21 (MILWAUKEE)
2.1 M W I-94, Cook, IL
Built 1995 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 33,900
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges
Every figure on PlainBridges 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. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.