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

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: PEMBINA RIVER

4 WEST OF NECHE, Pembina, ND

Built 1983 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 60

ND HIGHWAY 46

Good

Over: ROCKY DRAW

1 EAST OF ND 1, Barnes, ND

Built 1960 Load: 20.5 t ADT: 440

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

7 EAST 3 SOUTH LISBON, Ransom, ND

Built 2000 Load: 20.7 t ADT: 24

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: GOODMAN CREEK

5 N 4 W OF GOLDEN VALLEY, Mercer, ND

Built 1992 Load: 20.8 t ADT: 35

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SWAN CREEK

1 EAST 1 NORTH ABSARAKA, Cass, ND

Built 1955 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 180

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: LONG CREEK

8 EAST 5 NORTH OF CROSBY, Divide, ND

Built 1990 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 35

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: TURTLE RIVER

2 WEST OF MEKINOCK, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1955 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 105

COUNTY HIGHWAY 83

Good

Over: SWEET BRIAR CREEK

1 SOUTH OF SWEET BRIAR, Morton, ND

Built 1981 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: BEAR CREEK

4 WEST OF FORT RANSOM, Ransom, ND

Built 1977 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 70

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: ELM RIVER

7 EAST 2 NORTH GRANDIN, Traill, ND

Built 1995 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 175

US HIGHWAY 67

Good

Over: NORTH FORK CEDAR CREEK

11 SOUTH JCT ND 21, Slope, ND

Built 1952 Load: 21.0 t ADT: 180

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: JERUSALEM COULEE

5 SOUTH 8 WEST OF LAKOTA, Nelson, ND

Built 2001 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

2 SOUTH OF LISBON, Ransom, ND

Built 1993 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 280

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

4 EAST 1 NORTH OF SHARON, Steele, ND

Built 1980 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 10

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SOURIS RIVER

3 WEST 3 NORTH LOGAN, Ward, ND

Built 1997 Load: 21.1 t ADT: 230

W RIVER ROAD

Good

Over: ANDREWS CREEK

3 NORTHWEST OF MEDORA, Billings, ND

Built 1991 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 50

ND HIGHWAY 66

Good

Over: OX CREEK

1 EAST OF ROLETTE, Rolette, ND

Built 1963 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 580

ND HIGHWAY 66

Good

Over: WILLOW CREEK

3 EAST OF US 81, Pembina, ND

Built 1995 Load: 21.2 t ADT: 560

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

4 NORTH 2 EAST FT. RANSOM, Ransom, ND

Built 1981 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 80

ND HIGHWAY 5

Good

Over: TONGUE RIVER

1 EAST ND 32 SOUTH, Pembina, ND

Built 1953 Load: 21.3 t ADT: 780

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: MAPLE RIVER

3 WEST OF BUFFALO, Cass, ND

Built 1981 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 480

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: PIPESTEM CREEK

1 SOUTH 2 WEST EDMUNDS, Stutsman, ND

Built 1984 Load: 21.4 t ADT: 35

65TH AVE

Good

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

1 NORTH OF GLEN ULLIN, Morton, ND

Built 1962 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 350

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

5 SOUTH 1 EAST MCVILLE, Nelson, ND

Built 2020 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 80

81ST Ave SW

Good

Over: GOVERNMENT CREEK

12 S 7 E OF RICHARDTON, Stark, ND

Built 1982 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 125

30th Ave NE

Good

Over: HAY CREEK

ON EAST CENTURY AVENUE, Burleigh, ND

Built 2007 Load: 21.5 t ADT: 6,600

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: RED WING CREEK

15S & 6E OF ALEXANDER, McKenzie, ND

Built 1983 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 160

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: GOOSE RIVER

1 EAST 1 SOUTH MAYVILLE, Traill, ND

Built 1998 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: OAK CREEK

4 SOUTH OF SAWYER, Ward, ND

Built 2008 Load: 21.6 t ADT: 310

ND HIGHWAY 18

Good

Over: CREEK

6 SOUTH OF CAVALIER, Pembina, ND

Built 1966 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 1,180

US HIGHWAY 85

Good

Over: BLACKTAIL CREEK

4 NORTH OF US 2, Williams, ND

Built 1962 Load: 21.7 t ADT: 1,170

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: TOBACCO GARDEN CREEK

3 E 8 N WATFORD CITY, McKenzie, ND

Built 2003 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

5 EAST OF SHARON, Steele, ND

Built 1982 Load: 21.8 t ADT: 24

CR 7 (77TH AVE SW)

Good

Over: KNIFE RIVER

11 S 2 W OF GOLDEN VALLEY, Mercer, ND

Built 1987 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 25

County Road 138

Good

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

2 WEST 1 NORTH OF ALMONT, Morton, ND

Built 1984 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 72

CR135

Good

Over: CHANTA PETA CREEK

6 NORTH 6 EAST OF FLASHER, Morton, ND

Built 1995 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: CHANTA PETA CREEK

7 EAST 3 SOUTH OF FLASHER, Morton, ND

Built 1982 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 25

50TH Street SW

Good

Over: BUFFALO CREEK

3 E 13 S OF RICHARDTON, Stark, ND

Built 1990 Load: 21.9 t ADT: 45

COUNTY HIGHWAY 7

Good

Over: CREEK

3 NORTH OF LEAL, Barnes, ND

Built 2011 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

4 EAST FORT RANSOM, Ransom, ND

Built 1979 Load: 22.0 t ADT: 115

80TH ST SW

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

8 WEST OF LINTON, Emmons, ND

Built 1997 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 25

58th Street SW

Good

Over: THIRTY MILE CREEK

6 NORTH 10 EAST OF REGENT, Hettinger, ND

Built 1994 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 50

48th Avenue

Good

Over: BIG MUDDY CREEK

2 EAST 3 SOUTH OF ALMONT, Morton, ND

Built 1999 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 24

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: PAULSON CREEK

2 WEST WHITE EARTH, Mountrail, ND

Built 1991 Load: 22.1 t ADT: 115

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: MAPLE RIVER

4 NORTH 1 EAST MONANGO, Dickey, ND

Built 1984 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 55

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Good

Over: BEICEGEL CREEK

15 EAST FLAT ROCK BUTTE, McKenzie, ND

Built 1986 Load: 22.2 t ADT: 120

ND HIGHWAY 8

Good

Over: LITTLE KNIFE RIVER

1 SOUTH OF STANLEY, Mountrail, ND

Built 1985 Load: 22.3 t ADT: 2,110

COUNTY ROAD

Good

Over: CREEK

3 EAST 10 S PARK RIVER, Walsh, ND

Built 2020 Load: 22.4 t ADT: 26

146th Avenue

Good

Over: SPRING CREEK

3 EAST 8 SOUTH BOWMAN, Bowman, ND

Built 1981 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 40

8TH AVE SE

Good

Over: BEAVER CREEK

1 SOUTH 1 EAST OF LINTON, Emmons, ND

Built 2005 Load: 22.5 t ADT: 100

Showing 2,151-2,200 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.