How to Report a Damaged or Unsafe Bridge

Signs That Warrant a Report

Not all bridge problems are emergencies, but all are worth reporting. Contact the appropriate agency when you notice:

• Cracks in concrete, especially wide cracks, cracks that have grown, or cracks leaking rust-stained water
• Exposed reinforcing steel (rebar) with active rust
• Missing, broken, or bent guardrails, railings, or expansion joints
• Sagging, tilting, or unusual movement in the bridge deck
• Spalling concrete, chunks of concrete that have broken off, particularly from the underside
• Signs of scour, erosion of soil or riverbed around bridge supports, or visible undermining of piers or abutments
• Unusual sounds, creaking, cracking, or popping while crossing
• Water pooling on the deck in unusual patterns suggesting drainage problems
• Graffiti or evidence of vandalism that may have caused damage
• Vehicle impact damage, dents, bent beams, or debris on or under the bridge

Who Owns the Bridge? That Determines Who to Contact

Bridge maintenance responsibility depends on who owns the bridge. This is often the most confusing part of the reporting process:

State Highway Bridges

If the bridge carries a state or US highway route (designated by a highway shield number), contact your state Department of Transportation (DOT). Every state DOT has a public reporting line or online form:

• Search "[your state] DOT bridge report" for the direct reporting page
• Most states have a general infrastructure hotline (e.g., 511)
• Some states have dedicated bridge inspection reporting forms on their DOT websites

County and Local Bridges

For bridges on county roads or local streets, especially in rural areas, the owner is typically the county highway department or city public works department. Contact your county or city government directly.

County highway departments handle a huge share of the nation's bridge inventory. In states like Iowa, county bridges number in the tens of thousands. These departments are often chronically underfunded, making citizen reports especially valuable.

Federal Highway Bridges

Bridges on the Interstate Highway System are generally owned by states, not the federal government. Contact the state DOT for the state where the bridge is located, even if the route is an Interstate.

Railroad Bridges

Railroad bridges are owned and maintained by the railroad company. Contact the railroad's emergency line, which is typically posted on warning signs at highway-rail grade crossings near the bridge. For Amtrak bridges, contact Amtrak's infrastructure operations.

Private Bridges

Some bridges, particularly those on private property or gated communities, are privately owned. Report concerns to the property owner. If the bridge connects to a public road, the local government may still have jurisdiction.

What Information to Include in Your Report

The more specific your report, the faster officials can locate and inspect the bridge:

• Exact location: Bridge name if marked, route number, cross street or waterway name, nearest town or highway exit
• GPS coordinates: If possible, your smartphone's map app can provide this
• Description of the problem: What you saw, where on the bridge (deck surface, underneath, supports, railings)
• Photos: If it's safe to take them without stopping traffic or putting yourself at risk, photos are extremely helpful
• When you noticed it: Is this new damage? Has it gotten worse over time?
• Your contact information: Optional but helpful if inspectors have follow-up questions

What Happens After You Report

After you submit a report, the bridge owner typically:

1. Dispatches an inspector to assess the damage, typically within days for urgent reports
2. If the damage is minor, documents it for the next scheduled inspection cycle
3. If significant, may impose immediate weight restrictions or close the bridge
4. Adds the bridge to repair/replacement priority lists based on the findings

You may not receive direct feedback on your report, especially if you didn't provide contact information. But your report does enter the official record and can trigger inspections that might not otherwise happen for months.

FHWA's Role

The Federal Highway Administration does not maintain individual bridges or respond to bridge damage reports directly. FHWA sets the national standards for bridge inspection and collects condition data through the NBI, but bridge maintenance is the responsibility of state and local governments.

However, if you believe a state or local agency is failing to properly maintain a bridge on the federal-aid highway system, you can contact your FHWA Division Office for that state. FHWA Division Offices can be found at fhwa.dot.gov.

For Motorists: Practical Safety

• Obey posted weight limit signs, they are there because the bridge cannot safely handle heavier loads
• If a bridge is posted as "closed" or "no through traffic," respect the closure
• If you notice a bridge moves or feels unstable while you're crossing, exit calmly and report immediately
• Do not stop on a bridge to inspect damage, pull off the road first

Checking Bridge Status Online

You can look up a bridge's latest recorded condition on PlainBridges using the search box on our homepage. A Poor record is not, by itself, evidence of a reportable hazard. Report visible damage, missing or ignored signs, or an immediate concern through the responsible agency's current channels.

Note that our data reflects the most recent FHWA NBI data, which lags current conditions by several months to a year. A bridge that was recently damaged may not yet show a deteriorated rating in our system.

Why high-traffic Poor bridges matter most

A Poor rating on a bridge carrying heavy daily traffic affects far more drivers than the same rating on a lightly-used rural crossing, which is part of why traffic volume factors into how owners prioritize repair funding. These are the highest-traffic Poor-condition bridges in the current NBI file nationally, not a list of unsafe-to-cross bridges, they're open and posted for their rated capacity unless the responsible owner has restricted them.