State profile · Above national median SD

South Dakota bridge safety

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

5,905
Public bridges
31.9%
Good condition
16.2%
Poor condition
16.2%
Structurally deficient

Total Bridges

5,905

Public highway bridges in South Dakota

Good Condition

31.9%

1,885 bridges rated 7-9

-18.1pp vs 50% benchmark

Poor Condition

16.2%

959 bridges rated 0-4

Structurally Deficient

16.2%

959 bridges flagged for repair priority

9.2pp vs national avg 7.0%

South Dakota vs national bridge condition

South Dakota — Good condition share 31.9%
National avg

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

South Dakota — Structurally deficient share 54.1%
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 — South Dakota (FHWA NBI)

South Dakota31.922099915325997%44.06435224386113%16.240474174428453%16.240474174428453%GoodFairPoorStructurally Deficient
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix — South Dakota (FHWA NBI)

Counties (66)

Aurora 61 Beadle 153 Bennett 15 Bon Homme 126 Brookings 234 Brown 170 Brule 38 Buffalo 25 Butte 143 Campbell 15 Charles Mix 103 Clark 21 Clay 94 Codington 74 Corson 49 Custer 95 Davison 125 Day 37 Deuel 72 Dewey 28 Douglas 44 Edmunds 20 Fall River 80 Faulk 46 Grant 205 Gregory 51 Haakon 69 Hamlin 62 Hand 126 Hanson 62 Harding 49 Hughes 41 Hutchinson 161 Hyde 23 Jackson 89 Jerauld 35 Jones 37 Kingsbury 35 Lake 79 Lawrence 136 Lincoln 207 Lyman 114 Marshall 39 McCook 98 McPherson 14 Meade 217 Mellette 28 Miner 64 Minnehaha 395 Moody 87 Oglala Lakota 34 Pennington 350 Perkins 60 Potter 24 Roberts 157 Sanborn 53 Spink 176 Stanley 37 Sully 31 Todd 24 Tripp 90 Turner 143 Union 172 Walworth 34 Yankton 99 Ziebach 30

South Dakota 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 South Dakota on the same metric.

66

Guam

15.25% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$59

54

West Virginia

16.02% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$7,679
Selected

46

South Dakota

16.24% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$5,905

19

Iowa

20.01% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$20,753

78

Virgin Islands

29.17% top marginal rate
Structure
Progressive
Burden @ $100K
$24

Bridges Needing Most Attention in South Dakota

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

483 AVENUE

Structurally Deficient

Over: WHETSTONE RV

4.8E & 3.2N MILBANK, Grant, SD

Built 1962 Load: 0.9 t ADT: 25

202ND ST.

Structurally Deficient

Over: BEAR BUTTE CK

5.3E BEAR BUTTE, Meade, SD

Built 2000 Load: 0.9 t ADT: 50

45980 303 ST.

Structurally Deficient

Over: VERMILLION RV

6S & 7.8E IRENE, Clay, SD

Built 1909 Load: 1.8 t ADT: 15

460th Avenue

Structurally Deficient

Over: Big Coulee Creek

4S & 2W of Peever, Roberts, SD

Built 1950 Load: 2.2 t ADT: 22

197TH ST

Structurally Deficient

Over: TURTLE CK

1N & 1E ST LAWRENCE, Hand, SD

Built 1925 Load: 2.5 t ADT: 25

242 ST

Structurally Deficient

Over: CK

1.8E 11.0N PLANKINTON, Aurora, SD

Built 1917 Load: 2.7 t ADT: 101

All Bridges in South Dakota

US385

Good

Over: BLAIR CK

7.3 S JCT US 18 E, Fall River, SD

Built 2013 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 673

Yates Road

Good

Over: American Creek

1.8W & 0.9N OACOMA, Lyman, SD

Built 2017 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 20

423 AVE

Good

Over: REDSTONE CK

2W & 0.6S CARTHAGE, Miner, SD

Built 2011 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 52

158 ST CTY RD 12

Good

Over: DEEP CK

16.6W 5.9N FAITH, Perkins, SD

Built 2004 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 15

USTA ROAD

Good

Over: RABBIT CK

14E 21.6 S BISON, Perkins, SD

Built 1998 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 45

IRR SD020

Good

Over: IRISH CK

7.5 E OF GLAD VALLEY, Ziebach, SD

Built 1975 Load: 27.4 t ADT: 121

128TH STREET

Good

Over: CREEK

2N & 10.6E OF ROSLYN, Day, SD

Built 2011 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 307

OLD BELLE HWY

Good

Over: SPEARFISH CK

1.5 W 5.5 N SPEARFIS, Lawrence, SD

Built 2006 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 740

SD044

Good

Over: RAPID CK

5.0 SE JCT US 385, Pennington, SD

Built 1958 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 3,104

CREEK DRIVE

Good

Over: RAPID CK

0.4 N St. Patrick St., Pennington, SD

Built 2015 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 1,213

PAULSEN RD

Good

Over: LAKE CK

1.8E & 2.2N OF QUINN, Pennington, SD

Built 2006 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 25

DIVIDE ROAD

Good

Over: SOUTH FORK GRAND RV

14.1W 9.7N BISON, Perkins, SD

Built 2000 Load: 27.5 t ADT: 26

471ST AVENUE

Good

Over: CK

7.9S BROOKINGS, Brookings, SD

Built 2020 Load: 27.6 t ADT: 1,305

IRR SD050

Good

Over: DRY CHOTEAU CK

2.1 W OF AVON, Bon Homme, SD

Built 1960 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 1,122

278th Street

Good

Over: Long Creek

0.5W of Lennox, Lincoln, SD

Built 2023 Load: 27.7 t ADT: 435

24940 416 AVENUE

Good

Over: ROCK CK

3 W & 2.6 N FULTON, Hanson, SD

Built 2003 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 15

305th Avenue

Good

Over: Medicine Creek

0.2W & 0.7N of Presho, Lyman, SD

Built 1987 Load: 27.8 t ADT: 60

TOWNSHIP ROAD

Good

Over: ASH CK

2 S & 11 E IRENE, Clay, SD

Built 1997 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 30

185 ST

Good

Over: WOLF CK

10.3E & 12N MILLER, Hand, SD

Built 2021 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 34

I090 WF

Good

Over: BIG CK

2.1 W OACOMA INTERCH, Lyman, SD

Built 1971 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 85

Maple Street

Good

Over: Trib. to Skunk Creek

W of Marion Rd - SF, Minnehaha, SD

Built 2013 Load: 27.9 t ADT: 525

SD044

Good

Over: PONY CK

0.5 E DOUGLAS CO LINE, Hutchinson, SD

Built 1959 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 1,598

DEPOT STREET

Good

Over: PONY CK

DEPOT STREET - PARKSTON, Hutchinson, SD

Built 2019 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 71

289th Street

Good

Over: Saddle Creek

7S & 4.9W of Canton, Lincoln, SD

Built 1994 Load: 28.1 t ADT: 25

30210 NORWEGIAN AV

Good

Over: FROG CK

7.5E & 5.1S IRENE, Clay, SD

Built 2020 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 97

SD020

Good

Over: CK

1.6 S JCT SD 158, Grant, SD

Built 2021 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 1,368

SD019

Good

Over: CK

5.2 S LAKE CO LINE, Minnehaha, SD

Built 2014 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 1,626

Minnesota Avenue

Good

Over: Big Sioux River

0.2S of I-229 - SF, Minnehaha, SD

Built 1992 Load: 28.2 t ADT: 26,500

US281

Good

Over: MAPLE RV

3.5 N JCT SD 10 E, Brown, SD

Built 2015 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 1,858

28580 397 AVE

Good

Over: CK

1.8S,4.0W OF DELMONT, Douglas, SD

Built 1989 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 35

US212

Good

Over: TRIB FORD LAKE

2.7E Seneca, Faulk, SD

Built 2021 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 717

238 ST

Good

Over: ROCK CK

5S & 6.6W HOWARD, Miner, SD

Built 2022 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 90

31160 474TH AVE

Good

Over: CK

2E & 13.6S BERESFORD, Union, SD

Built 1945 Load: 28.3 t ADT: 35

214TH STREET

Good

Over: MEDARY CK

1.5E AURORA, Brookings, SD

Built 2001 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 20

Cleveland Avenue

Good

Over: Long Creek

SW Corner of Lennox, Lincoln, SD

Built 2023 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 150

432nd Avenue

Good

Over: Wolf Creek

3W & 0.6N of Bridgewater, McCook, SD

Built 1999 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 25

485th Avenue

Good

Over: Pipestone Creek

7E & 2.9S of Trent, Moody, SD

Built 2002 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 45

GOLF COURSE ROAD

Good

Over: THUNDER BUTTE CK

2.5W 0.5S BISON, Perkins, SD

Built 2015 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 21

304 AVENUE

Good

Over: WEST COTTONWOOD CK

1.3S WITTEN, Tripp, SD

Built 2001 Load: 28.4 t ADT: 63

SD034

Good

Over: CK

13.2 NE JCT SD 79 N, Meade, SD

Built 1956 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 818

SD011

Good

Over: WEST PIPESTONE CK

7.2 N I 90 INTERCH, Minnehaha, SD

Built 1950 Load: 28.5 t ADT: 3,286

Spur Avenue

Good

Over: Pattee Creek

2.4N of Jct with SD 46, Lincoln, SD

Built 1997 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 654

181st Street

Good

Over: Medicine Creek

2N 9.3W TULARE, Spink, SD

Built 1992 Load: 28.6 t ADT: 55

W. ARDMORE ROAD

Good

Over: HAT CK

0.5W ARDMORE, Fall River, SD

Built 1976 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 38

239th Street

Good

Over: Medicine Creek

1E & 0.5N of Vivian, Lyman, SD

Built 1986 Load: 28.7 t ADT: 15

SD010

Good

Over: ELM RV

2.9 W JCT US 281, Brown, SD

Built 2020 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 725

463rd Avenue

Good

Over: Trib. to Big Sioux River

4.0E & 5.4S of Castlewood, Hamlin, SD

Built 2006 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 90

383 AVENUE

Good

Over: CK

1E 3S WESS. SPRINGS, Jerauld, SD

Built 1963 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 180

425TH AVE

Good

Over: REDSTONE CK

0.9 S MANCHESTER, Kingsbury, SD

Built 1989 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 150

TUMBLEWEED TRAIL

Good

Over: CARLSON DITCH

Tumbleweed Tl-Spearfish, Lawrence, SD

Built 2009 Load: 28.8 t ADT: 50

Showing 3,601-3,650 of 5,905 bridges

Related

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

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). A "structurally deficient" rating is a repair-priority signal, not a closure or unsafe-to-cross designation. Consult a qualified civil engineer before making decisions based on this data.

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.