How many bridges are in Minnesota?

Minnesota has 11,969 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. View detailed condition data for each bridge on PlainBridges.

What percentage of bridges in Minnesota are structurally deficient?

3.6% of bridges in Minnesota are classified as structurally deficient by the FHWA, compared to a national average of 7.0%.

State profile · Below national median SD

Minnesota bridge safety

Condition ratings, load ratings, and structural-deficiency data for every public highway bridge in Minnesota — drawn straight from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory.

Reviewed byPlainbridges Editorial, Plain Bridges Editorial Team · June 5, 2026

11,969
Public bridges: 55.0%
Good condition: 3.6%
Poor condition: 3.6%
Structurally deficient

Total Bridges

11,969

Public highway bridges in Minnesota

Good Condition

55.0%

6,580 bridges rated 7-9

5.0pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

3.6%

435 bridges rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

3.6%

435 bridges flagged for repair priority

-3.4pp vs national avg 7.0%

Minnesota vs national bridge condition

Minnesota — Good condition share 55.0%

National avg

Share of bridges rated 7-9 on the FHWA 0-9 scale (deck, superstructure, substructure all good).

Minnesota — Structurally deficient share 12.1%

National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.0%.

Condition Distribution

Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — Minnesota (FHWA NBI)

Counties (87)

Aitkin 85 Anoka 145 Becker 51 Beltrami 102 Benton 113 Big Stone 16 Blue Earth 178 Brown 98 Carlton 144 Carver 101 Cass 80 Chippewa 70 Chisago 42 Clay 166 Clearwater 35 Cook 40 Cottonwood 125 Crow Wing 47 Dakota 152 Dodge 120 Douglas 24 Faribault 143 Fillmore 261 Freeborn 72 Goodhue 264 Grant 28 Hennepin 980 Houston 113 Hubbard 17 Isanti 24 Itasca 76 Jackson 104 Kanabec 34 Kandiyohi 53 Kittson 109 Koochiching 53 Lac qui Parle 161 Lake 80 Lake of the Woods 59 Le Sueur 54 Lincoln 93 Lyon 222 Mahnomen 40 Marshall 208 Martin 155 McLeod 78 Meeker 58 Mille Lacs 107 Morrison 155 Mower 307 Murray 129 Nicollet 53 Nobles 299 Norman 140 Olmsted 346 Otter Tail 137 Pennington 45 Pine 158 Pipestone 182 Polk 260 Pope 46 Ramsey 318 Red Lake 55 Redwood 190 Renville 139 Rice 134 Rock 252 Roseau 137 Scott 130 Sherburne 48 Sibley 98 St. Louis 641 Stearns 225 Steele 127 Stevens 43 Swift 96 Todd 135 Traverse 115 Wabasha 138 Wadena 77 Waseca 74 Washington 112 Watonwan 155 Wilkin 191 Winona 221 Wright 74 Yellow Medicine 207

Minnesota vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states on the structurally deficient leaderboard (lower share = better)

States are ranked by share of bridges flagged structurally deficient — the FHWA classification for any span where deck, superstructure, or substructure carries a condition rating of 4 or below. Lower percentages indicate stronger maintenance funding and inspection follow-through. States here sit immediately above and below Minnesota on the same metric.

Virginia

3.03% top marginal rate

Structure: Progressive
Burden @ $100K: $14,122

Alabama

3.35% top marginal rate

Structure: Progressive
Burden @ $100K: $13,471

Selected

Minnesota

3.63% top marginal rate

Structure: Progressive
Burden @ $100K: $11,969

Connecticut

3.95% top marginal rate

Structure: Progressive
Burden @ $100K: $4,277

Tennessee

3.97% top marginal rate

Structure: Progressive
Burden @ $100K: $20,426

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Minnesota

Six lowest-condition bridges in Minnesota, ranked by composite NBI rating. Each is inspected at least every 24 months.

Publisher	Kiznis Studio
Sources	FHWA National Bridge Inventory, public U.S. government datasets

Minnesota vs national bridge condition

Condition Distribution

Counties (87)

Bridges Needing Most Attention in Minnesota

T 187

M 8

CSAH 7

M 330

CR 156

T 309

All Bridges in Minnesota

CSAH 28

CSAH 15

CR 146

T 144

T 320

CR 54

CR 56

CSAH 12

CR 52

T 254

T 189

T 159

MN 135

CSAH 3

SPR 2

CR 121

SPR 15

US 53

MN 76

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