Total bridges
117
Public highway bridges in Benton County
County profile · official public datasets
Benton County, MN
117 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 54.7% rated Good, 36.8% Fair, 8.5% Poor.
- 117
- Public bridges
- 54.7%
- Good condition
- 8.5%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Benton County posts a higher-than-median Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.
- 80th
- of 87 on Poor share
- 8.5%
- Poor-condition share
- 117
- public highway bridges
- 1985
- 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.
Benton County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Benton County ranks #80 of 87 Minnesota counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 8.5%). Benton County, Minnesota contains 117 public highway bridges. Roughly 54.7% are rated “Good,” 36.8% “Fair,” and 8.5% “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
54.7%
64 of 117 rated 7-9
Fair condition
36.8%
43 of 117 rated 5-6
Poor condition
8.5%
10 of 117 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#80 of 87
Among Minnesota counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 117 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 54.7% (64)
Fair 36.8% (43)
Poor 8.5% (10)
Benton County's Poor-condition bridges carry 5,406 vehicle crossings a day
That is 1.8% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 8.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 541 crossings a day against 2,740 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 117 of 117 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
31.6% of Benton County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
37 of the 117 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 54.7% 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 28.7% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
CSAH 4 over ELK RIVER, built 1973, carries 1,550 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 10-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 5,406 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Benton County's bridges were built
117 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1930s 7
1930–1939
7 bridges
- 1940s 1
1940–1949
1 bridges
- 1950s 6
1950–1959
6 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
14 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
23 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
11 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
25 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
14 bridges
- 2010s 9
2010–2019
9 bridges
- 2020s 7
2020–2029
7 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1990s, when 25 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 21.4% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 25 to 34 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1985) matches the Minnesota average (1986).
How Benton County compares with Minnesota's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Minnesota counties nearest Benton County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 8.5% Poor share is the 6th-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1985 against a peer-group mean of 1988 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 86 Minnesota counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse County | 121 | 65.3% | 33.1% | 1.7% | 1985 |
| Benton County (this page) | 117 | 54.7% | 36.8% | 8.5% | 1985 |
| Chippewa County | 116 | 49.1% | 44% | 6.9% | 1989 |
| Carver County | 115 | 57.4% | 40% | 2.6% | 1995 |
| Washington County | 112 | 42.9% | 52.7% | 4.5% | 1990 |
| Brown County | 108 | 60.2% | 38% | 1.9% | 1982 |
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 Benton 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 Benton County, both outside Minnesota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside MN (117 bridges here).
- Franklin County, GA · 117 bridges
- Polk County, GA · 117 bridges
- Clark County, KY · 117 bridges
- Fleming County, KY · 117 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside MN (1985 here).
- Hillsborough County, FL · avg 1985 · 840 bridges
- Lancaster County, NE · avg 1985 · 661 bridges
- Nueces County, TX · avg 1985 · 528 bridges
- Grayson County, TX · avg 1985 · 513 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (117)
CR 59
FairOver: BUNKER HILL CREEK
0.6 MI N OF JCT CSAH 22, Benton, MN
Built 1930 Load: 16.3 t ADT: 65
MSAS 109
FairOver: US 10
0.9 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1969 Load: 24.4 t ADT: 6,500
T 37
FairOver: ELK RIVER
0.7 MI NW OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1985 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 44
CR 58
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.1 MI S OF JCT CSAH 2, Benton, MN
Built 1936 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 95
CR 40
FairOver: BUNKER HILL CREEK
0.3 MI W OF JCT CR 56, Benton, MN
Built 1939 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 60
CSAH 12
FairOver: ZULEGER CREEK
0.1 MI E OF JCT CR 56, Benton, MN
Built 1938 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 1,100
MN 25
FairOver: ELK RIVER
1.0 MI NW OF GILMAN, Benton, MN
Built 1952 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 1,350
MN 25
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
5.9 MI S OF LITTLE ROCK, Benton, MN
Built 1952 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 1,350
CR 62
FairOver: STONY BROOK
0.2 MI N OF JCT CR 50, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 295
CSAH 6
FairOver: LITTLE ST FRANCIS RIVER
1.6 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1978 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 900
CSAH 4
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.8 MI E OF JCT CSAH 1, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 1,550
CR 67
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.5 MI N OF JCT CSAH 5, Benton, MN
Built 1995 Load: 29.5 t ADT: 50
CSAH 25
FairOver: ELK RIVER
0.3 MI N OF JCT CSAH 4, Benton, MN
Built 1972 Load: 30.4 t ADT: 250
CSAH 29
FairOver: MISS R BNSF RR; STR
1.5 MI W OF JCT TH 10, Benton, MN
Built 1983 Load: 30.7 t ADT: 12,500
T 169
FairOver: STONY BROOK
0.2 MI W OF JCT TH 25, Benton, MN
Built 1975 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 34
CR 41
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.6 MI N OF JCT CSAH 12, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 80
T 40
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.5 MI W OF JCT CR 60, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 22
CSAH 5
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.9 MI W OF JCT CSAH 7, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,000
CSAH 3
FairOver: ELK RIVER
1.3 MI SW OF JCT CSAH 4, Benton, MN
Built 1996 Load: 34.1 t ADT: 2,050
MSAS 107
FairOver: US 10
1.2 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1968 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 3,850
CSAH 2
FairOver: ZULEGER CREEK
1.7 MI W OF JCT CR 78, Benton, MN
Built 1936 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 1,100
CSAH 2
FairOver: LITTLE ROCK CREEK
2.0 MI W OF JCT CR 78, Benton, MN
Built 1973 Load: 34.6 t ADT: 1,100
CSAH 7
FairOver: W BR RUM RIVER
0.2 MI S OF JCT CSAH 22, Benton, MN
Built 1965 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 155
CR 80
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.2 MI N OF JCT CSAH 8, Benton, MN
Built 1938 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 660
CR 42
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
0.8 MI S OF JCT CSAH 12, Benton, MN
Built 1989 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 55
CSAH 8
FairOver: MAYHEW CREEK
1.3 MI W OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 1,030
CSAH 2
FairOver: MISSISSIPPI RIVER
2.5 MI W OF JCT TH 10, Benton, MN
Built 1977 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 5,300
CSAH 6
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.2 MI S OF JCT CR 51, Benton, MN
Built 1973 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 550
MN 15
FairOver: US 10
4.7 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1969 Load: 37.8 t ADT: 6,500
T 47
FairOver: STONY BROOK
1.3 MI W OF JCT CR 62, Benton, MN
Built 1985 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 44
T 50
FairOver: ELK RIVER
0.5 MI S OF JCT TH 25, Benton, MN
Built 2003 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 50
CR 51
FairOver: DITCH 9
AT JCT CSAH 7, Benton, MN
Built 2000 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 180
MN 15
FairOver: BENTON DR MISS RVR RR
3.3 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1993 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 26,000
CSAH 6
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.1 MI S OF JCT CR 50, Benton, MN
Built 1973 Load: 39.5 t ADT: 550
CR 43
FairOver: ELK RIVER
0.9 MI W OF JCT CSAH 3, Benton, MN
Built 1995 Load: 40.0 t ADT: 235
US 10
FairOver: PLATTE RIVER
0.2 MI S OF N CO LINE, Benton, MN
Built 1948 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 11,389
MN 23
FairOver: US 10
AT JCT TH 23 IN ST CLOUD, Benton, MN
Built 1957 Load: 42.8 t ADT: 12,400
MN 23
FairOver: ELK RIVER
7.0 MI E OF ST CLOUD, Benton, MN
Built 1950 Load: 44.4 t ADT: 3,516
MN 95
FairOver: ELK RIVER
0.7 MI E OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1995 Load: 45.1 t ADT: 6,100
CR 49
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.1 MI W OF JCT CSAH 6, Benton, MN
Built 1998 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 70
MN 95
FairOver: ST. FRANCIS RIVER
9.7 MI E OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 2000 Load: 50.0 t ADT: 5,300
CSAH 6
FairOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.6 MI N OF JCT CSAH 4, Benton, MN
Built 1971 Load: 50.3 t ADT: 550
US 10
FairOver: LITTLE ROCK LAKE
4.1 MI SE OF JCT CSAH 12, Benton, MN
Built 1962 Load: 56.8 t ADT: 12,000
T 128
GoodOver: ELK RIVER
0.3 MI W OF JCT CR 82, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 18.0 t ADT: 18
CSAH 9
GoodOver: W BR RUM RIVER
0.3 MI S OF JCT CR 54, Benton, MN
Built 1969 Load: 19.4 t ADT: 355
CSAH 3
GoodOver: US 10
2.4 MI N OF JCT TH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1969 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 8,900
CSAH 4
GoodOver: ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.6 MI W OF JCT CSAH 6, Benton, MN
Built 1989 Load: 27.3 t ADT: 1,500
MN 25
GoodOver: STONY BROOK
1.8 MI S OF FOLEY, Benton, MN
Built 1950 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,550
CR 52
GoodOver: LITTLE ST FRANCIS RIVER
0.2 MI E OF JCT CSAH 6, Benton, MN
Built 1978 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 65
CSAH 10
GoodOver: STONY BROOK
0.7 MI S OF JCT CSAH 23, Benton, MN
Built 1979 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 460
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.