State profile · Above median Poor share

North Dakota bridge safety

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, condition ratings, load ratings, and Poor-condition shares for every public highway bridge in North Dakota.

4,255
Public bridges
42.3%
Good condition
11.0%
Poor condition

North Dakota holds 4,255 public highway bridges (#39 of 52 by inventory) with a 10.98% Poor share (#10 of 52 by Poor share).

That is 11.0% of the state's inventory, against an average of 7.5% across the 54 states and territories with Poor-rated bridges on file, which places it 43 of 54 ordered from the lowest Poor share upward. A bridge is rated Poor when its weakest applicable component scores 4 or below on the inspecting agency's 0-9 scale, so the category is a maintenance and funding signal rather than a closure order or a live crossing-safety verdict.

Inventory: FHWA NBI 2024 · last ETL August 2026

Total Bridges

4,255

Public highway bridges in North Dakota

Good Condition

42.3%

1,800 bridges rated 7-9

-7.7pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

11.0%

467 bridges whose lowest applicable component is rated 0-4

3.5pp vs national avg 7.5%

North Dakota vs national bridge condition

North Dakota - Good condition share 42.3%
National avg

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

North Dakota - Poor-condition share 36.6%
National avg

Lower is better. Bar maxes at 30% (worst-state ceiling). National average sits at 7.5%.

North Dakota in the national condition pattern

Each point is a state or territory in the FHWA NBI; the highlighted point is this profile.

Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: North Dakota has 4,255 bridges and a 11.0% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #43 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold. Scatter plot of 54 data points. 0%10%20%30%40% 0k20k40k60k Public bridges in inventory (thousands) Poor-condition share (%) ND, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 10.98%AL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.35%AK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.89%AZ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.15%AR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.43%CA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 25.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.91%CO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.82%CT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.72%DE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.26%DC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.95%FL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.79%GA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.59%GU, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.77%HI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 1.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.53%ID, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.9%IL, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.35%IN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.22%IA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 19.16%KS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.26%KY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.37%LA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 12.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.48%ME, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.41%MD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.56%MA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.88%MI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 11.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 11.27%MN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 13.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.44%MS, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 16.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.03%MO, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 24.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 8.95%MT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.81%NE, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 15.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.9%NV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.14%NH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.51%NJ, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 6.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.01%NM, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.51%NY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 17.6k · Poor-condition share (%): 9.43%NC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 19.2k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.76%OH, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 26.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.74%OK, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 22.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 7.7%OR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.61%PA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 23.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 12.58%PR, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 13.92%RI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0.8k · Poor-condition share (%): 15.2%SC, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 9.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.17%SD, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 5.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 16.36%TN, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 20.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 4.41%TX, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 56.7k · Poor-condition share (%): 1.23%UT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.91%VT, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 2.9k · Poor-condition share (%): 2.9%VI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 0k · Poor-condition share (%): 29.17%VA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 3.39%WA, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 8.5k · Poor-condition share (%): 5.45%WV, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 7.3k · Poor-condition share (%): 18.64%WI, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 14.4k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.52%WY, Public bridges in inventory (thousands): 3.1k · Poor-condition share (%): 6.51%
Inventory size and Poor-condition share are different measures: North Dakota has 4,255 bridges and a 11.0% Poor-condition share in the 2024 NBI, rank #43 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The dashed comparisons mark the national average state rate and the midpoint of the plotted inventory range; neither is a live safety or closure threshold.

North Dakota vs all states by public bridge inventory

Where this state's FHWA NBI public-highway bridge count sits among every state and territory on PlainBridges

4,255 39th of 54 higher than 15 of 54 states

States and territories, banded by public bridge inventory size

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory · 2024

Read the rank neighborhood for North Dakota

The highlighted point is North Dakota: 4,255 bridges and 10.98% in Poor condition, rank #43 of 54 jurisdictions ordered from the lowest share upward. The five jurisdictions immediately above and below North Dakota on that same Poor-share ordering:

  • Illinois: 26,928 bridges · 9.35% Poor
  • New York: 17,642 bridges · 9.43% Poor
  • North Dakota: 4,255 bridges · 10.98% Poor
  • Michigan: 11,371 bridges · 11.27% Poor
  • Louisiana: 12,698 bridges · 11.48% Poor

The full national sortable table lives on the rankings page.

Material families in North Dakota

Exclusive FHWA material families across all 4,255 bridges in this state; continuous variants fold into the parent family. Orthogonal to the Poor-share scatter above.

Who maintains North Dakota’s inventory

State agency holds 27.1% of the 4,255 public highway bridges filed under North Dakota in the 2024 NBI, the agency-of-record split for this state, not a condition verdict.

When North Dakota’s bridges were built

Pre-1950 construction accounts for 14.8% of the 4,255 bridges with a recorded original year in North Dakota. Era bands are orthogonal to the Poor-share ranking above.

Condition Distribution

North Dakota42.3%46.7%11%GoodFairPoor
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - North Dakota (FHWA NBI)

Counties (53)

Adams 45 Barnes 79 Benson 40 Billings 60 Bottineau 124 Bowman 69 Burke 29 Burleigh 113 Cass 369 Cavalier 66 Dickey 43 Divide 13 Dunn 74 Eddy 27 Emmons 67 Foster 19 Golden Valley 34 Grand Forks 335 Grant 60 Griggs 22 Hettinger 64 Kidder 10 LaMoure 60 Logan 13 McHenry 112 McIntosh 11 McKenzie 129 McLean 57 Mercer 72 Morton 272 Mountrail 27 Nelson 23 Oliver 24 Pembina 204 Pierce 5 Ramsey 48 Ransom 35 Renville 24 Richland 197 Rolette 18 Sargent 30 Sheridan 8 Sioux 22 Slope 43 Stark 157 Steele 94 Stutsman 78 Towner 58 Traill 151 Walsh 257 Ward 123 Wells 41 Williams 100

North Dakota vs nearby ranks

Adjacent states by Poor-condition share (lower share = better)

States are ranked by the share of bridges whose lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below. This describes recorded condition; it does not measure funding effectiveness or live crossing safety. States here sit immediately above and below North Dakota on the same metric.

IL

Illinois

9.35% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$26,928

NY

New York

9.43% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$17,642
Selected

ND

North Dakota

10.98% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$4,255

MI

Michigan

11.27% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$11,371

LA

Louisiana

11.48% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$12,698

Bridges Needing Most Attention in North Dakota

Six lowest-condition bridges in North Dakota, ranked by the portal's composite display score. Inspection intervals are risk-based under current NBIS rules.

14TH ST SW

Poor

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

7 SOUTH 2 EAST REEDER, Adams, ND

Built 1919 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 10

17TH AVE NW

Poor

Over: CEDAR CREEK

4 WEST 15 NORTH HETTINGER, Adams, ND

Built 1925 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

8 WEST 3 SOUTH OBERON, Benson, ND

Built 1907 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 5

COUNTY TRAIL

Poor

Over: COULEE

6 E 1 N MINNEWAUKAN, Benson, ND

Built 1942 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 1

COUNTY TRAIL

Poor

Over: CREEK

2 EAST 5 SOUTH OF LOMA, Cavalier, ND

Built 1949 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 2

COUNTY TRAIL

Poor

Over: CREEK

9 EAST 2 SOUTH OF HANNAH, Cavalier, ND

Built 1959 Load: 0.0 t ADT: 10

All Bridges in North Dakota

US HIGHWAY 2

Fair

Over: LITTLE MUDDY RIVER

1 EAST OF US 85 NORTH, Williams, ND

Built 1955 Load: 40.2 t ADT: 1,900

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: BOUNDARY CREEK

2 S .5 W OF WEST JCT.14&5, Bottineau, ND

Built 1970 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 25

STATE PARK ROAD

Fair

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

FORT RANSOM STATE PARK, Ransom, ND

Built 1979 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 25

ND HIGHWAY 18

Fair

Over: GOOSE RIVER

CITY OF MAYVILLE, Traill, ND

Built 1966 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 4,800

IRRFB ND HIWAY 22

Fair

Over: LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER

15 SOUTH OF ND 73, Dunn, ND

Built 1994 Load: 40.4 t ADT: 510

COUNTY HIWAY 1124

Fair

Over: JAMES RIVER

2 WEST 5 SOUTH LUDDEN, Dickey, ND

Built 1974 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 47

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: ENGLISH COULEE

2 SOUTH 10 EAST EMERADO, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1991 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 450

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: TONGUE RIVER

1 EAST 1 NORTH OF HALLSON, Pembina, ND

Built 1942 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 30

ND HIGHWAY 21

Fair

Over: CREEK

4 EAST OF CARSON, Grant, ND

Built 1994 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 590

ND HIGHWAY 200A

Fair

Over: I-29/BLANCHARD INT

JUNCTION OF 200A & I29, Traill, ND

Built 1971 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 830

INTERSTATE 29

Fair

Over: ND 54 AND SOO LINE RR

JUNCTION ND 54, Walsh, ND

Built 1971 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 2,425

US HIGHWAY 85

Fair

Over: LITTLE MUDDY RIVER

7 NORTH OF US 2, Williams, ND

Built 2016 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 3,075

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: TURTLE RIVER

3 EAST MEKINOCK, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1968 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: MCCLUSKY CANAL R2-0A

7 SOUTH TURTLE LAKE, McLean, ND

Built 1976 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 40

LINCOLN ROAD

Fair

Over: APPLE CREEK

3 SOUTH 3 EAST BISMARCK, Burleigh, ND

Built 1914 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 2,900

93rd AVE SW

Fair

Over: CREEK

6 WEST 1 NORTH MARSHALL, Dunn, ND

Built 1980 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 35

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: JAMES RIVER

2 EAST 2 SOUTH GRACE CITY, Foster, ND

Built 2008 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 10

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: MAPLE CREEK

1 NORTH 1 EAST OF EDGELEY, LaMoure, ND

Built 1982 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: POISON SPRING CREEK

6 S 3 W HOMESTEADERS GAP, McKenzie, ND

Built 1992 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 22

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: SAND CREEK

2 SOUTH 2 WEST CHARLSON, McKenzie, ND

Built 1999 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 160

35TH ST

Fair

Over: SQUARE BUTTE CREEK

1 WEST 5 NORTH MANDAN, Morton, ND

Built 2004 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 144

IRRSR COUNTY HIWAY

Fair

Over: LEAF ON THE HILL CREEK

13 WEST OF SELFRIDGE, Sioux, ND

Built 1992 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 65

21ST ST WEST

Fair

Over: DRAINAGE WAY

21 ST WEST, Stark, ND

Built 2013 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 4,000

US HIGHWAY 2

Fair

Over: CREEK

4 EAST OF US 85 NORTH, Williams, ND

Built 2006 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 1,900

IRRFB ND HIWAY 22

Fair

Over: CREEK

14 SOUTH OF ND 73, Dunn, ND

Built 1991 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 510

IRRSR ND HIWAY 24

Fair

Over: FOUR MILE CREEK

11 SOUTHWEST FORT YATES, Sioux, ND

Built 1930 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 750

ND HIGHWAY 37

Fair

Over: MID. BR. DOUGLAS CREEK

6 EAST OF ND 1804, McLean, ND

Built 1990 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 770

ND HIGHWAY 37

Fair

Over: CREEK

8 EAST OF N.D. 1804, McLean, ND

Built 1990 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 820

US HIGHWAY 2

Fair

Over: BN RAILROAD

CITY OF RAY, Williams, ND

Built 1997 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 915

ND HIGHWAY 210

Fair

Over: RED RIVER OF THE NORTH

NORTH OF WAHPETON, Richland, ND

Built 1974 Load: 40.9 t ADT: 200

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: EGG CREEK

11 EAST 1 SOUTH RUTHVILLE, Ward, ND

Built 1971 Load: 41.0 t ADT: 115

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

3 EAST 3 SOUTH OF TOLNA, Nelson, ND

Built 1978 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 25

ND HIGHWAY 13

Fair

Over: ND HIGHWAY 210 BYPASS

1 WEST OF WAHPETON, Richland, ND

Built 1975 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 2,950

INTERSTATE 29

Fair

Over: ND 54 AND SOO LINE RR

JUNCTION ND 54, Walsh, ND

Built 1971 Load: 41.3 t ADT: 2,425

ND HIGHWAY 30

Fair

Over: JAMES RIVER

2 NORTH ND 15, Wells, ND

Built 1982 Load: 41.4 t ADT: 220

INTERSTATE 94

Fair

Over: US 81

I-94-US 81 INTCHNGE-FARGO, Cass, ND

Built 1993 Load: 41.4 t ADT: 49,800

81st St SW

Fair

Over: SOUTH CEDAR CREEK

7 NORTH 7 EAST SCANTON, Bowman, ND

Built 1987 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: NORTH BRANCH ELM RIVER

3 WEST OF KELSO, Traill, ND

Built 2000 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 20

COUNTY ROAD

Fair

Over: CREEK

6 EAST 2 NORTH OF CARPIO, Renville, ND

Built 1927 Load: 41.6 t ADT: 25

141st Avenue SW

Fair

Over: Alkali Creek

4 EAST 12 SOUTH BOWMAN, Bowman, ND

Built 1965 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 30

6TH STREET NE

Fair

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

6TH STREET NE, Barnes, ND

Built 1982 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 1,925

ND HIGHWAY 13

Fair

Over: CREEK

JUNCTION US83 AND ND13, Emmons, ND

Built 1977 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 700

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: WILD RICE RIVER

3 WEST 2 SOUTH WYNDMERE, Richland, ND

Built 1975 Load: 42.0 t ADT: 217

COUNTY HIWAY 1104

Fair

Over: JAMES RIVER

7 NORTH 7 WEST OAKES, Dickey, ND

Built 1972 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 55

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Fair

Over: CREEK

16 SOUTH OF DICKINSON, Stark, ND

Built 1996 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 15

US HIGHWAY 83

Fair

Over: BURNT CREEK

8 NORTH OF I-94, Burleigh, ND

Built 1964 Load: 42.1 t ADT: 5,500

US HIGHWAY 2

Fair

Over: COW CREEK

3 SOUTH OF US 85 NORTH, Williams, ND

Built 1978 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 1,365

INTERSTATE 29

Fair

Over: COUNTY DRAIN NO 11

4 SOUTH OF MANVEL, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1971 Load: 42.2 t ADT: 4,650

US HIGHWAY 85

Fair

Over: NORTH FORK GREEN RIVER

13 NORTH OF JCT. I-94, Billings, ND

Built 1971 Load: 42.3 t ADT: 1,060

US HIGHWAY 2

Fair

Over: FRESHWATER COULEE

7 WEST OF GRAND FORKS, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1963 Load: 42.4 t ADT: 5,400

Showing 1,601-1,650 of 4,255 bridges

Related

All states → | National rankings → | Understanding conditions → | Retired SD term explained →
Data sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI), latest released cycle. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (NBI). Poor condition is an inspection-record category, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult the bridge owner for current status.

Understanding Bridge Conditions

How FHWA rates bridge condition on a 0-9 scale.

Check Your Daily Bridges

How to look up bridge condition data for bridges on your route.

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

What to do with this

Use North Dakota's inventory picture to drill to a county or a specific span.

  • Browse counties in North Dakota and open the highest-Poor shares first. County list
  • See where this state sits among peers on Poor-condition share. State rankings
  • Compare this state with another jurisdiction on the same measures. State compare

NBI condition ratings are inventory snapshots, not live crossing-safety verdicts.

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. North Dakota Good/Fair/Poor shares and county rollups on this page are computed from the same NBI extract as the national boards; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2024 NBI release. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.