Total bridges
259
Public highway bridges in Dakota County
County profile · official public datasets
Dakota County, MN
259 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 44% rated Good, 54.4% Fair, 1.5% Poor.
- 259
- Public bridges
- 44%
- Good condition
- 1.5%
- Poor condition
The verdict
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.
Dakota County posts a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state across mid-size county bridge inventory.
- Top 14%
- lowest Poor share in state
- 1.5%
- Poor-condition share
- 259
- public highway bridges
- 1986
- 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.
Dakota County Bridge Snapshot
According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Dakota County ranks #12 of 87 Minnesota counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 1.5%). Dakota County, Minnesota contains 259 public highway bridges. Roughly 44% are rated “Good,” 54.4% “Fair,” and 1.5% “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
44%
114 of 259 rated 7-9
Fair condition
54.4%
141 of 259 rated 5-6
Poor condition
1.5%
4 of 259 rated 4 or below
In-state Poor-share rank
#12 of 87
Among Minnesota counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better
Condition distribution
Share of 259 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.
Good 44% (114)
Fair 54.4% (141)
Poor 1.5% (4)
Dakota County's Poor-condition bridges carry 117,901 vehicle crossings a day
That is 3.4% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 1.5% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry more traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 29,475 crossings a day against 5,493 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 259 of 259 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
23.2% of Dakota County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark
60 of the 259 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 44% 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 80.2% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic
I 35W over UP RR Cliff Rd (CSAH32), built 1959, carries 94,603 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 4-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.
Share is of the 117,901 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.
When Dakota County's bridges were built
259 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade
- 1900s 1
1900–1909
1 bridges
- 1910s 1
1910–1919
1 bridges
- 1920s 5
1920–1929
5 bridges
- 1930s 3
1930–1939
3 bridges
- 1940s 5
1940–1949
5 bridges
- 1950s 8
1950–1959
8 bridges
- 1960s
1960–1969
23 bridges
- 1970s
1970–1979
37 bridges
- 1980s
1980–1989
57 bridges
- 1990s
1990–1999
47 bridges
- 2000s
2000–2009
46 bridges
- 2010s 19
2010–2019
19 bridges
- 2020s 7
2020–2029
7 bridges
What this shows Construction peaked in the 1980s, when 57 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 22% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 35 to 44 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year (1986) matches the Minnesota average (1986).
How Dakota County compares with Minnesota's closest counties by inventory size
The 5 Minnesota counties nearest Dakota County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 1.5% Poor share is the 1st-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1986 against a peer-group mean of 1985 is in line with the group.
Showing the 5 closest of 86 Minnesota counties eligible for comparison.
| County | Bridges | Good | Fair | Poor | Avg. built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 268 | 63.1% | 33.6% | 3.4% | 1989 |
| Rock County | 265 | 80% | 17.7% | 2.3% | 1991 |
| Dakota County (this page) | 259 | 44% | 54.4% | 1.5% | 1986 |
| Winona County | 237 | 43% | 52.3% | 4.6% | 1982 |
| Lyon County | 234 | 75.2% | 21.8% | 3% | 1983 |
| Stearns County | 229 | 54.6% | 42.8% | 2.6% | 1981 |
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 Dakota 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 Dakota County, both outside Minnesota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.
Similar inventory size
Nearest county inventories outside MN (259 bridges here).
- Apache County, AZ · 259 bridges
- Gila County, AZ · 259 bridges
- Ellsworth County, KS · 259 bridges
- Hampshire County, MA · 259 bridges
Similar average build year
Nearest mean year-built outside MN (1986 here).
- El Paso County, TX · avg 1986 · 783 bridges
- Caddo County, LA · avg 1986 · 682 bridges
- Weld County, CO · avg 1986 · 614 bridges
- Polk County, IA · avg 1986 · 545 bridges
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.
All bridges (259)
M 980
FairOver: BLACKDOG CREEK
0.1 MI W OF TH 77, Dakota, MN
Built 1953 Load: 13.9 t ADT: 872
CSAH 54
FairOver: DRY RUN
2.9 MI SE OF JCT CR 91, Dakota, MN
Built 1918 Load: 19.6 t ADT: 4,250
T 1602
FairOver: VERMILLION RIVER
0.5 MI N OF JCT CSAH 66, Dakota, MN
Built 1926 Load: 19.6 t ADT: 115
T 188
FairOver: PINE CREEK
3.2 MI S OF JCT TH 50, Dakota, MN
Built 1959 Load: 20.6 t ADT: 75
MSAS 101
FairOver: UNSTABLE SOIL
0.2 MI W OF JCT TH 149, Dakota, MN
Built 1974 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 3,100
CSAH 31
FairOver: I 494
1.1 MI W OF JCT TH 35E, Dakota, MN
Built 1972 Load: 20.9 t ADT: 19,100
CSAH 46
FairOver: VERMILLION RIVER
0.7 MI SW OF JCT TH 61, Dakota, MN
Built 1968 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 11,228
CON 1516
FairOver: I 494/I 35E south ramp
AT THE JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1982 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 6,000
I 494
FairOver: UP Railroad Hardman Ave
0.4 MI E OF JCT TH 156, Dakota, MN
Built 1988 Load: 23.3 t ADT: 98,000
M 24
FairOver: I 35
5.0 MI S OF JCT TH 35 E, Dakota, MN
Built 1965 Load: 24.1 t ADT: 675
CSAH 85
FairOver: VERMILLION RIVER
0.9 MI N OF JCT CSAH 62, Dakota, MN
Built 1968 Load: 24.5 t ADT: 1,173
US 52
FairOver: SOUTH VIEW BLVD
0.7 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1973 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 32,000
US 52
FairOver: SOUTH VIEW BLVD
0.7 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1973 Load: 24.9 t ADT: 27,607
I 35
FairOver: CR 64 (205TH ST)
6.0 MI S OF JCT TH 35 E, Dakota, MN
Built 1965 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 35,000
I 35
FairOver: CR 64 (205TH ST)
6.0 MI S OF JCT TH 35 E, Dakota, MN
Built 1965 Load: 25.5 t ADT: 32,786
MN 77
FairOver: UP RR
0.3 MI N OF JCT TH 13, Dakota, MN
Built 1978 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 45,951
MSAS 107
FairOver: VERMILLION RIVER
0.1 MI W OF JCT CSAH 31, Dakota, MN
Built 2006 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 530
CSAH 88
FairOver: US 52
6.6 MI SE OF JCT TH 50, Dakota, MN
Built 1964 Load: 25.8 t ADT: 1,893
MSAS 118
FairOver: LAKE MARIO
0.62 MI S OF JCT CSAH 60, Dakota, MN
Built 1947 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 9,222
CSAH 91
FairOver: DRY RUN
2.2 MI SW OF JCT TH 61, Dakota, MN
Built 1968 Load: 26.1 t ADT: 110
T 160
FairOver: CHUB CREEK
2.5 MI N OF JCT CR 96, Dakota, MN
Built 1970 Load: 26.8 t ADT: 45
CR 59
FairOver: CANNON RIVER
1.5 MI W OF RANDOLPH, Dakota, MN
Built 1975 Load: 26.9 t ADT: 276
US 52
FairOver: UP RR
5.8 MI S OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1978 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 22,902
US 52
FairOver: UP RR
5.4 MI S OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1978 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 22,902
I 494
FairOver: TH 13; UP RR
1.5 MI W OF JCT TH 35E, Dakota, MN
Built 1973 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 88,714
I 494
FairOver: CSAH 56 (CONCORD STREET)
AT THE JCT TH 156; 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1980 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 98,000
MN 55
FairOver: I 35E NB COL SB ON RMP
0.3 MI S OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1981 Load: 29.0 t ADT: 27,500
MN 20
FairOver: STREAM
2.1 MI S OF JCT TH 61, Dakota, MN
Built 1931 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,600
US 61
FairOver: STREAM
6.5 MI S OF HASTINGS, Dakota, MN
Built 1929 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,406
US 61
FairOver: Cannon River
2.0 MI E OF JCT TH 50, Dakota, MN
Built 1930 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 5,113
MN 3
FairOver: STREAM
1.6 MI N OF JCT TH 50, Dakota, MN
Built 1948 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 12,200
MN 56
FairOver: DITCH
2.6 MI S OF JCT TH 52, Dakota, MN
Built 1947 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 2,632
MN 50
FairOver: S BR Vermillion River
4.5 MI E OF FARMINGTON, Dakota, MN
Built 1989 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 3,908
T 77
FairOver: DRY RUN
0.3 MI W OF JCT TH 61, Dakota, MN
Built 1925 Load: 29.4 t ADT: 75
US 52
FairOver: WENTWORTH AVE
1.7 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1972 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 32,000
US 52
FairOver: WENTWORTH AVE
1.7 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1972 Load: 29.8 t ADT: 27,607
I 494
FairOver: I 35E
AT THE JCT TH 494; 35E, Dakota, MN
Built 1982 Load: 30.0 t ADT: 47,000
US 52
FairOver: Vermillion River
4.2 MI N OF JCT TH 50, Dakota, MN
Built 1978 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 15,443
I 35
FairOver: CSAH 50
2.8 MI S OF JCT TH 35 E, Dakota, MN
Built 1965 Load: 30.2 t ADT: 42,500
CON 5465
FairOver: OFF RAMP TO 35E SB
AT THE JCT TH 35E; 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1983 Load: 30.5 t ADT: 6,000
CR 6
FairOver: US 52
1.9 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1972 Load: 30.6 t ADT: 9,898
MSAS 103
FairOver: I 35E COLL RAMPS
0.2 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1982 Load: 31.4 t ADT: 3,650
MN 77
FairOver: I 35E COLL ROADS
AT THE JCT TH 77; 35E, Dakota, MN
Built 1979 Load: 31.5 t ADT: 32,050
US 52
FairOver: Cannon River
0.7 MI NW OF JCT TH 19, Dakota, MN
Built 1964 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 11,726
US 52
FairOver: Cannon River
0.7 MI NW OF JCT TH 19, Dakota, MN
Built 1964 Load: 32.3 t ADT: 11,726
CSAH 88
FairOver: STREAM
0.2 MI W OF JCT TH 52, Dakota, MN
Built 1930 Load: 32.4 t ADT: 1,893
I 35
FairOver: CSAH 50
2.8 MI S OF JCT TH 35 E, Dakota, MN
Built 1965 Load: 32.5 t ADT: 38,017
CR 4
FairOver: US 52
2.7 MI N OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1972 Load: 33.0 t ADT: 11,470
MSAS 104
FairOver: US 52
1.4 MI S OF JCT TH 494, Dakota, MN
Built 1990 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 1,450
T 93
FairOver: S BR VERMILLION RIVER
0.5 MI W OF JCT CSAH 79, Dakota, MN
Built 1945 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 75
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.