One-Third of U.S. Bridges in Need of Repair

According to the latest analysis by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), as of 2024, approximately 222,000 bridges in the United States are in urgent need of major repairs. While this number has shown a slight downward trend for four consecutive years, the proportion of bridges requiring repair remains at 36% of the total, showing no significant change. Addressing this issue is estimated to require a total investment exceeding $400 billion.

Specifically, 76,175 bridges have been identified as needing complete replacement, 51,366 bridges require extensive renovation, and 40,552 bridges face the need for widening and modification. Additionally, some bridges only require minor renovations or replacement of certain components. Currently, more than 40,000 bridges have been included in repair plans.

The top five states with the highest percentage of structurally deficient bridges: (The same top five as last year)

1. Iowa (19.2%, #2 in 2023)
2. West Virginia (18.6%, #1 in 2023)
3. South Dakota (16.4%, #3 in 2023)
4. Maine (15.4%, #5 in 2023)
5. Rhode Island (15.2%, #4 in 2023)

The top five states with the largest number of structurally deficient bridges: (Ranking unchanged from the previous year)

1. Iowa (4,544 bridges, #1 in 2023)
2. Pennsylvania (2,932 bridges, #2 in 2023)
3. Illinois (2,517 bridges, #3 in 2023)
4. Missouri (2,203 bridges, #4 in 2023)
5. Oklahoma (1,764 bridges, #5 in 2023)

(Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and others)

Editor’s note: U.S. bridges are inspected every two years, with the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data being continuously updated. The structural health condition is rated on a scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest score. A rating of 4 or below is defined as “poor” or “structurally deficient.” The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), serving as a consultant for government data, also periodically releases its independently compiled transportation infrastructure data internally, serving a supervisory and reminder function.