U.S. Bridge Statistics
A national snapshot of highway-bridge condition, computed live from every record in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory. Each figure below is aggregated directly from the federal file, not estimated.
- 575,638
- public highway bridges
- 6.1%
- structurally deficient (35,044)
- 47 yrs
- average bridge age
- 54
- states & territories
National condition breakdown
Every bridge carries FHWA condition ratings (0–9) for its deck, superstructure, and substructure. "Good" is a rating of 7 or higher, "Fair" is 5–6, and "Poor" is 4 or lower; "structurally deficient" means any major component is rated Poor.
Bridge inventory deck-condition mix - National (FHWA NBI)
By the numbers
- 222,588
- bridges in good condition (7-9 rating)
- 35,044
- structurally deficient bridges
- 1,028
- poor bridges carrying 10,000+ vehicles/day
- 3,296,756,636 m²
- total bridge deck area
Cite this page
These statistics are free to quote and link with attribution. Suggested citation:
PlainBridges, "U.S. Bridge Statistics," based on the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (2024 NBI). https://plainbridges.com/statistics/
Source data is in the public domain (U.S. DOT). The National Bridge Inventory is published by the Federal Highway Administration.
Reading these numbers
National condition figures set context; an individual bridge can sit anywhere on the scale.
- About 6.1% of bridges have a major component rated Poor, but most carry low traffic; the 1,028 poor bridges on high-traffic routes matter most. Browse by state
- A "structurally deficient" bridge is not necessarily unsafe; it means a component needs attention and closer inspection. Methodology
- The average U.S. bridge is about 47 years old, so condition reflects decades of design, materials, and maintenance, not a single year. Compare states
Figures are computed from the FHWA National Bridge Inventory (2024 NBI) and refreshed when FHWA publishes a new file. Condition ratings describe components, not overall safety; always defer to the responsible transportation agency.
