US 6 over Des Plaines River
Will County, Illinois · rated Fair in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- US 6 over Des Plaines River in Will County, Illinois, is rated in fair condition in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory (as of ).
- Its lowest-rated component is the superstructure, rated 5 (fair condition) on the 0-9 scale.
- It was built in 1934 and reconstructed in 2003, making it 91 years old at the 2025 inventory.
- It carries about 9,800 vehicles a day (traffic count year 2023).
- Its listed owner is the state highway agency.
- It is one of 307 of the 656 inventoried bridges in Will County rated fair (46.8%); 65 (9.9%) are rated poor.
- Its traffic status in the 2025 inventory is open, no restriction (NBI item 41).
- It was rated poor in the 2024 inventory and is now fair (superstructure 4 to 5).
- Its most recent inspection on record is dated June 2024, on a 24-month routine inspection cycle.
- It has fracture-critical members (NBI item 92A): steel tension members without a redundant load path, which get their own scheduled inspections.
- A fair rating means the lowest-rated major component scores 5 or 6 on FHWA's 0-9 scale: some deterioration or minor section loss, but the structure is sound. It is the middle class, not a warning.
View this bridge on a map → (41.51627, -88.08899)
Component ratings
| Component | Rating (2024) | Rating (2025) | FHWA scale meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
| Superstructure | 4 | 5 | Fair condition |
| Substructure | 6 | 6 | Satisfactory condition |
Bridge details
| Structure | Steel movable bascule |
| Length | about 407 ft |
| Location | 0.25 M W Il 53 |
| NBI structure number | 099990400000000 |
| Condition class | Fair |
| Traffic status (item 41) | Open, no restriction |
| Last inspection (item 90) | June 2024 |
| Inspection interval (item 91) | 24 months |
| Scour (item 113) | 8: foundations stable, scour above the top of the footing |
| Fracture critical (item 92A) | Yes |
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 data as reported by the Illinois department of transportation.
Busiest bridges in Will County
| Bridge | Built | Vehicles/day | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| I- 55 over Il 53 | 1980 | 108,500 | Fair |
| I- 80 over Creek | 1967 | 96,000 | Fair |
| I- 80 over Marley Creek | 1966 | 94,400 | Good |
| I-355 over I55 Rmp to NBI355 | 2007 | 83,900 | Fair |
| I- 55 over Lily Cache Creek | 2007 | 83,500 | Fair |
| I- 55 over Joliet Rd | 1955 | 73,200 | Poor |
All bridges nearby: Will County, IL bridge conditions · every bridge in Will County · Illinois bridges.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.