Decades of neglect and lack of investment have left over 46,000 bridges in the United States in a state of disrepair. To address this, President Joe Biden signed into law in November 2021 the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocates $550 billion to rebuilding key infrastructure. Still, necessary repairs may take years, and each day, Americans make 178 million trips across bridges deemed to be structurally deficient.
A structurally deficient bridge is defined by the Federal Highway Administration as one in which any component – the deck, superstructure, substructure, or culverts – is in poor or worse condition.
According to advocacy group American Road & Transportation Builders Association, there are 319 bridges considered to be structurally deficient in Georgia – equal to 2.1% of all bridges in the state. For context, 7.0% of bridges nationwide are considered structurally deficient.
Of the bridges in poor or worse condition in the state, the bridge on I-75 over Swamp Creek in Whitfield County – built in 1961 – carries the largest number of commuters and travelers, with an estimated 66,210 daily crossings on average.
It is important to note that structurally deficient bridges do not necessarily pose imminent risk to those crossing. They do, however, require significant investment to avoid becoming hazardous or to avoid restrictions on the weight or speed of vehicles crossing.
| State | Most traveled bridge in poor condition | Location | Year built | Avg. daily crossings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | I-459 over the Cahaba River | Jefferson County | 1981 | 99,312 |
| Alaska | South Tongass Highway over Hoadley Creek | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 1957 | 17,165 |
| Arizona | Shea Boulevard over Indian Bend Wash | Maricopa County | 1976 | 48,700 |
| Arkansas | I-30, Sec 23 over the Arkansas River | Pulaski County | 1958 | 119,000 |
| California | U.S. Highway 101 over Kester Ave | Los Angeles County | 1959 | 293,000 |
| Colorado | I-70 over U.S. Route 6 | Denver County | 1964 | 157,000 |
| Connecticut | I-95 over Metro North | New Haven County | 1956 | 136,400 |
| Delaware | Red Mill Rd. over stream Mill Pond | New Castle County | 1971 | 22,887 |
| Florida | Southbound I-95 over Sistrunk Blvd. | Broward County | 1975 | 156,000 |
| Georgia | I-75 over Swamp Creek | Whitfield County | 1961 | 66,210 |
| Hawaii | Kalaniana’ole Highway over Niu Stream | Honolulu County | 1934 | 58,500 |
| Idaho | State Highway 33 over the Teton River | Madison County | 1971 | 22,000 |
| Illinois | I-90 Express over Stewart Ave. | Cook County | 1962 | 203,100 |
| Indiana | I-65 over Ohio St. | Marion County | 1974 | 186,289 |
| Iowa | Centennial Bridge | Scott County | 1940 | 30,600 |
| Kansas | College Blvd. over Indian Creek | Johnson County | 1976 | 21,800 |
| Kentucky | I-65 over Grade Ln. | Jefferson County | 1988 | 166,770 |
| Louisiana | Calcasieu River Bridge | Calcasieu Parish | 1952 | 86,600 |
| Maine | I-295 Northbound over Route 88 | Cumberland County | 1959 | 27,320 |
| Maryland | I-695 over U.S. Route 40 | Baltimore County | 1958 | 188,860 |
| Massachusetts | I-93 Northbound over Route 24 Northbound | Norfolk County | 1958 | 193,356 |
| Michigan | I-696 over I-75 | Oakland County | 1971 | 209,200 |
| Minnesota | I-35W over Cliff Rd. | Dakota County | 1959 | 92,000 |
| Mississippi | I-20 over Lynch St. | Hinds County | 1969 | 26,000 |
| Missouri | I-270E over Conway Rd. | St. Louis County | 1964 | 196,655 |
| Montana | S Higgins Ave. over Clark Fork River Pedestrian Paths | Missoula County | 1962 | 15,552 |
| Nebraska | U.S. Route 75 over J St. | Douglas County | 1970 | 85,640 |
| Nevada | I-515 over Desert Inn Rd. | Clark County | 1981 | 127,000 |
| New Hampshire | I-89 over South St. | Merrimack County | 1959 | 51,032 |
| New Jersey | NJ Route 495 over Paterson Plank Rd. | Hudson County | 1939 | 159,000 |
| New Mexico | I-25 over Gibson Blvd. | Bernalillo County | 1961 | 117,053 |
| New York | I-278 over 15th St. | Kings County | 1962 | 190,572 |
| North Carolina | I-40 over Walnut Creek | Wake County | 1982 | 118,000 |
| North Dakota | Demers Ave over BNSF Rail Road | Grand Forks County | 1972 | 18,500 |
| Ohio | I-270 Ramp over Ramp I-270 West Bound to state Route 315 Southbound | Franklin County | 1969 | 143,208 |
| Oklahoma | I-44 Southbound over Oklahoma River | Oklahoma County | 1975 | 62,800 |
| Oregon | Morrison St. over Willamette River | Multnomah County | 1958 | 55,335 |
| Pennsylvania | I-95 over Fraley St. | Philadelphia County | 1967 | 202,857 |
| Rhode Island | I-95 over U.S. Route 6 and Woonasquatucket River | Providence County | 1964 | 171,707 |
| South Carolina | I-85 over Laurel Creek | Greenville County | 1960 | 119,700 |
| South Dakota | U.S. Route 12 over Moccasin Creek | Brown County | 1954 | 19,426 |
| Tennessee | I-24 over Mill Creek | Davidson County | 1958 | 167,340 |
| Texas | I-610 over Houston Ship Channel | Harris County | 1973 | 171,423 |
| Utah | I-15 Southbound over state Route 193 | Davis County | 1966 | 130,000 |
| Vermont | I-89 Northbound over Connecticut River | Windsor County | 1966 | 20,734 |
| Virginia | I-95 over state Route 608 | Chesterfield County | 1958 | 111,000 |
| Washington | SW Spokane St. Bridge over Duwamish Waterway | King County | 1983 | 108,179 |
| West Virginia | I-64 Ramp B over state Route 25 | Kanawha County | 1965 | 68,700 |
| Wisconsin | I-43 Freeway over Glendale Ave. | Milwaukee County | 1960 | 132,000 |
| Wyoming | U.S. Route 26 over Flat Creek | Teton County | 1969 | 26,260 |
by: Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square
