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.

Total bridges

1,721

Public highway bridges in Cook County

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

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.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

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.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Cook County and the 5 Illinois counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Cook County (this page) 1,721 13.8%
Champaign County 727 8.7%
Will County 649 10.5%
McLean County 624 2.9%
Livingston County 579 8.3%
Iroquois County 570 14.4%

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).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside IL (1969 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All 1,721 Good 495 Fair 989 Poor 237

Good-condition bridges (495)

I-90 EB

Good

Over: Wolf Road

0.3 Mi N. Ill Rte 72, Cook, IL

Built 2015 Load: 52.5 t ADT: 160,700

I- 57 NB

Good

Over: DIXIE HWY

0.2 M NE IL 83, Cook, IL

Built 1967 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 54,400

I- 57 SB

Good

Over: DIXIE HWY

0.2 M NE IL 83, Cook, IL

Built 1967 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 54,400

Meachem Rd.

Good

Over: I-90 WB CD RD

0.9 M W IL 53, Cook, IL

Built 2016 Load: 52.8 t ADT: 25,100

67TH ST (MARQUETTE

Good

Over: I- 94 RYAN & CTA

3.5 M N OF 95TH ST, Cook, IL

Built 1960 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 15,300

US 6 IL 7 159TH S

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

0.5 M W of Wolf Rd, Cook, IL

Built 2015 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 18,700

I-294 NB

Good

Over: JOLIET RD

0.4 M NW I55 P10, Cook, IL

Built 1958 Load: 53.1 t ADT: 59,750

ELMHURST RD

Good

Over: HIGGINS CREEK

.08M S of Oaktom, Cook, IL

Built 2016 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 26,800

47TH ST

Good

Over: DES PLAINES RIVER

0.5 M W IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2002 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 5,600

DIXIE HWY

Good

Over: BUTTERFIELD CREEK

0.7 M S OF 187TH ST, Cook, IL

Built 2010 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 8,450

PALATINE RD

Good

Over: MCDONALD CREEK

0.3 M WEST OF IL 83, Cook, IL

Built 2010 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 32,700

I- 55 WB STEVENSON

Good

Over: THROOP ST

0.7 M SW I94, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 53.8 t ADT: 66,750

IL 171 EB (ARCHER)

Good

Over: 79TH ST WB

0.8 M E US 45, Cook, IL

Built 2021 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 21,500

US 30 (LINCOLN HWY

Good

Over: IL 394

AT 210TH ST, Cook, IL

Built 1954 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 21,200

IL 1 CHI VIN RDS

Good

Over: THORN CREEK

0.5 M N OF US 30, Cook, IL

Built 1987 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 9,450

WOODLAWN AVENUE WE

Good

Over: LITTLE CALUMET RIVER

0.44 MI N US 6, Cook, IL

Built 2019 Load: 54.1 t ADT: 400

BELMONT AVE

Good

Over: DES PLAINES RIVER

2.2 M W IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2001 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 23,200

MADISON STREET

Good

Over: UNION STA TRACK

CHGO RIV TO CANAL ST, Cook, IL

Built 1922 Load: 54.8 t ADT: 12,100

HARTS RD

Good

Over: N BR CHICAGO RIVER

0.1 M NE IL 21, Cook, IL

Built 1930 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 5,600

IL 171 NB FIRST AV

Good

Over: I- 55 STEVENSON

1.4 M SW of IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2016 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 39,600

US 12 45 SB MANNHE

Good

Over: I-190 JFK

1 M N LAWRENCE, Cook, IL

Built 2006 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 28,700

THORNTON-LANSING R

Good

Over: IL 394

.5 MI S. I80/294, Cook, IL

Built 2005 Load: 55.1 t ADT: 10,250

CHICAGO RD

Good

Over: THORN CREEK TRIB

.03 M N IL 1 CUTOFF, Cook, IL

Built 2020 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 5,000

IL 64

Good

Over: DES PLAINES RIVER

1 M W OF IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2014 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 41,200

I294NB CD ROAD B

Good

Over: 147TH

0.6 Mi N of I-57, Cook, IL

Built 2014 Load: 55.4 t ADT: 66,750

IL 68 (DUNDEE RD)

Good

Over: M FK N BR CHGO RIV

0.8 M E IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2019 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 23,100

WILLOW RD

Good

Over: M F N BR Chicago Riv

1.0 M E of IL 43, Cook, IL

Built 2013 Load: 55.7 t ADT: 28,400

100TH EB TO NB STO

Good

Over: STONY ISLAND AV

0.6 M E I-94, Cook, IL

Built 2014 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 8,850

Happ Road

Good

Over: Skokie River

0.5 Mi S of Winnetka, Cook, IL

Built 2017 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 3,700

WHEELER DRIVE

Good

Over: TINLEY CREEK

SEE REMARKS, Cook, IL

Built 1976 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 1,400

I-294 NB

Good

Over: BALLARD RD

0.3 M N US 14 P11, Cook, IL

Built 1958 Load: 56.4 t ADT: 64,250

I- 57

Good

Over: I- 57NB 2 I-294NB

.04M N of I294/I57, Cook, IL

Built 2011 Load: 56.7 t ADT: 97,800

17TH AVE

Good

Over: SALT CREEK

1.4 M S I-90, Cook, IL

Built 1999 Load: 56.7 t ADT: 9,200

I- 55 EB STEVENSON

Good

Over: CALIFORNIA AVE

3 M SW DAN RYAN, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 57.0 t ADT: 77,450

I- 55 WB STEVENSON

Good

Over: CALIFORNIA AVE

3 M SW DAN RYAN, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 57.0 t ADT: 77,450

IL 83 (OAKTON ST)

Good

Over: HIGGINS CREEK

0.4 M W ELMHURST RD, Cook, IL

Built 1972 Load: 57.0 t ADT: 20,900

I-294 SB

Good

Over: WOLF RD

0.2 M NW I55 P10, Cook, IL

Built 1958 Load: 57.0 t ADT: 69,950

I- 57 SB RMP T 294

Good

Over: DIXIE CREEK

RAMP C OVER CREEK, Cook, IL

Built 2021 Load: 57.3 t

LAWRENCE AVE

Good

Over: I- 90 JFK & CTA

0.6 M NW IL 50, Cook, IL

Built 1958 Load: 58.0 t ADT: 9,850

I- 55 EB STEVENSON

Good

Over: KEDZIE AVE

2 M NE ILL 50, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 58.3 t ADT: 86,800

I- 55 WB STEVENSON

Good

Over: KEDZIE AVE

2 M NE ILL 50, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 58.3 t ADT: 86,800

I-90 WB Jayne Adam

Good

Over: Mt. Prospect Road

2 Mi E. Ill Rte 83, Cook, IL

Built 2015 Load: 58.3 t ADT: 160,700

US 45 (LAGRANGE RD

Good

Over: CROOKED CREEK

0.3 M N 107TH ST, Cook, IL

Built 2004 Load: 59.3 t ADT: 29,000

I- 55 WB STEVENSON

Good

Over: LOCK ST

1.1 M SW I94, Cook, IL

Built 1963 Load: 59.6 t ADT: 75,400

I-294 SB

Good

Over: GRAND AVE

2.6 M SW ILL 19 P9, Cook, IL

Built 2022 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 86,550

I-294 SB

Good

Over: JOLIET RD

0.4 M NW I55 P10, Cook, IL

Built 1958 Load: 59.9 t ADT: 59,750

IL 83 (TORRENCE)

Good

Over: NORTH CREEK

2.3 M S I-80 94, Cook, IL

Built 2003 Load: 60.3 t ADT: 13,100

LAKE ST

Good

Over: ADDISON CREEK

0.2 M E OF US 45, Cook, IL

Built 2011 Load: 60.6 t ADT: 20,100

I-90 EB

Good

Over: Mt. Prospect Road

2 Mi E. Ill Rte 83, Cook, IL

Built 2015 Load: 60.6 t ADT: 160,700

CENTER ST

Good

Over: HARVEY DR CANAL

0.25M S 159th St., Cook, IL

Built 2016 Load: 60.9 t ADT: 2,750

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

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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.