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

ND HIGHWAY 18

Poor

Over: MAPLE RIVER

8 NORTH OF LEONARD, Cass, ND

Built 1985 Load: 32.9 t ADT: 700

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: TURTLE RIVER

4 EAST MEKINOCK, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1966 Load: 33.1 t ADT: 35

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: TURTLE RIVER

1.5 SOUTH OF MANVEL, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1948 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 215

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: CREEK

7 SOUTH 3 EAST CANDO, Towner, ND

Built 1979 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: CREEK

2 WEST 3 NORTH TRENTON, Williams, ND

Built 1920 Load: 33.3 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

3 EAST 2 SOUTH OF HENSEL, Pembina, ND

Built 1965 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 5

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: CREEK

1 NORTH 1 SW OF GLASSTON, Pembina, ND

Built 1980 Load: 33.6 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: WILLOW CREEK

13 EAST 2 NORTH OF UPHAM, McHenry, ND

Built 1964 Load: 33.7 t ADT: 125

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: BONE HILL CREEK

5 WEST OF DICKEY, LaMoure, ND

Built 1977 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 70

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: FOREST RIVER

10 EAST 5 SOUTH GRAFTON, Walsh, ND

Built 1979 Load: 34.3 t ADT: 5

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: CREEK

5 WEST 6 SOUTH BISBEE, Towner, ND

Built 1960 Load: 34.7 t ADT: 10

6th ST NE

Poor

Over: CEDAR CREEK

12 N. 4 E. HETTINGER, Adams, ND

Built 1991 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 10

INTERSTATE 94

Poor

Over: CO HWY RR/EAGLE NEST INT

7 WEST OF ND 49, Morton, ND

Built 1962 Load: 34.8 t ADT: 2,250

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: NORTH BRANCH GOOSE RIVER

3 EAST 1 SOUTH HATTON, Traill, ND

Built 1991 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: COTTONWOOD CREEK

6 SOUTH GRENORA, Williams, ND

Built 1963 Load: 35.1 t ADT: 205

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: COULEE

10 WEST 3 SOUTH CANDO, Towner, ND

Built 1974 Load: 35.3 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: WILD RICE RIVER

1 EAST 2.75 NORTH CAYUGA, Sargent, ND

Built 1949 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 5

ND HIGHWAY 1

Poor

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

2 SOUTH OF ND 15, Nelson, ND

Built 1964 Load: 35.6 t ADT: 300

ND HIGHWAY 10

Poor

Over: SWAN CREEK

4 EAST OF ND 18, Cass, ND

Built 1959 Load: 35.8 t ADT: 210

INTERSTATE 94

Poor

Over: SHEEP CREEK

16 WEST OF JCT. US 85, Billings, ND

Built 1964 Load: 35.9 t ADT: 1,300

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: I-94/MAPLE RIVER SEP

2 WEST OF ND 38, Cass, ND

Built 1960 Load: 36.2 t ADT: 20

US HIGHWAY 281

Poor

Over: BNRR SEP.

1 NORTH US 2, Benson, ND

Built 1936 Load: 36.5 t ADT: 450

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: COULEE

2 NORTH 2 EAST EMERADO, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1960 Load: 36.7 t ADT: 20

ND HIGHWAY 200

Poor

Over: CREEK

1 EAST OF ND 48, Oliver, ND

Built 1971 Load: 36.7 t ADT: 940

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: CREEK

CITY OF HALLSON, Pembina, ND

Built 1979 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 27

INTERSTATE 94

Poor

Over: BNRR & SE JAMESTOWN INT

SE JAMESTOWN INTERCHANGE, Stutsman, ND

Built 1958 Load: 37.6 t ADT: 4,100

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: TONGUE RIVER

4 EAST 1 SOUTH BATHGATE, Pembina, ND

Built 1967 Load: 37.7 t ADT: 108

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: ST. JOE COULEE

6 WEST 3 NORTH WEBSTER, Ramsey, ND

Built 1983 Load: 37.9 t ADT: 50

COUNTY HIGHWAY 83

Poor

Over: CREEK

1 NORTH 7 EAST OF JUDSON, Morton, ND

Built 1979 Load: 38.2 t ADT: 45

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: BUFFALO COULEE

1 NORTH 6 EAST BUXTON, Traill, ND

Built 1950 Load: 38.6 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: COLE CREEK

3 SOUTH THOMPSON, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1950 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 180

INTERSTATE 29

Poor

Over: ND297/DEMERS AVE INT-GF

1 SOUTH US 2, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1968 Load: 39.8 t ADT: 8,200

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: DRAIN DITCH

1 NORTH 2 WEST KEMPTON, Grand Forks, ND

Built 1960 Load: 40.6 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: WEST CUT BANK CREEK

2 EAST 3 NORTH OF MOHALL, Bottineau, ND

Built 1970 Load: 40.7 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: CREEK

4 SOUTH 2 WEST LARIMORE, Grand Forks, ND

Built 2002 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 45

ND HIGHWAY 200

Poor

Over: INTERMITTENT STREAM

5 EAST OF MAYVILLE, Traill, ND

Built 1971 Load: 41.1 t ADT: 1,970

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: TONGUE RIVER

5 EAST OF BACKOO, Pembina, ND

Built 1948 Load: 41.5 t ADT: 26

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: COULEE

2 SOUTH OF LOGAN, Ward, ND

Built 1965 Load: 41.8 t ADT: 25

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: COULEE

1 SOUTH LEEDS, Benson, ND

Built 1951 Load: 42.7 t ADT: 75

ND HIGHWAY 17

Poor

Over: MAUVAIS COULEE

5 EAST OF CANDO, Towner, ND

Built 1962 Load: 43.3 t ADT: 560

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: MAUVAIS COULEE

5 NORTH 2 EAST OF CANDO, Towner, ND

Built 1966 Load: 43.7 t ADT: 10

APPROACH

Poor

Over: GOOSE RIVER

11 EAST 7 NORTH FINLEY, Steele, ND

Built 1980 Load: 46.6 t ADT: 1

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: SWAN CREEK

2 EAST OF ABSARAKA, Cass, ND

Built 1950 Load: 48.0 t ADT: 20

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: SHEYENNE RIVER

4 SOUTH OF WEST FARGO, Cass, ND

Built 1971 Load: 48.7 t ADT: 8,162

COUNTY HIGHWAY

Poor

Over: ROSEBUD COULEE

3 WEST 3 NORTH BATHGATE, Pembina, ND

Built 1968 Load: 51.9 t ADT: 5

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: DRAIN DITCH

3 EAST 1 SOUTH GLASSTON, Pembina, ND

Built 1950 Load: 52.1 t ADT: 24

ND HIGHWAY 40

Poor

Over: BNRR SEP OVERHEAD

4 NORTH US 2, Williams, ND

Built 1988 Load: 55.9 t ADT: 1,620

28TH AVE. SE

Poor

Over: BEAVER CREEK

11 NORTH 2 EAST ZEELAND, McIntosh, ND

Built 1932 Load: 56.8 t ADT: 24

COUNTY ROAD

Poor

Over: SPRING COULEE

3 EAST 1 SOUTH OF FORFAR, Bottineau, ND

Built 1969 Load: 57.6 t ADT: 25

INTERSTATE 29

Poor

Over: DRAIN DITCH #39

3 SOUTH OF ND 5, Pembina, ND

Built 1958 Load: 64.8 t ADT: 2,850

Showing 4,201-4,250 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.