Minnesota bridge conditions
13,551 inventoried bridges · 609 rated poor · county by county
United States Bridge Conditions2025 National Bridge Inventory, FHWACompiled
- 609 of Minnesota's 13,551 inventoried bridges are rated in poor condition (4.5%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory, as of .
- 7,636 bridges (56.4%) are rated good and 5,306 (39.2%) fair.
- The national poor rate is about 6.7%; Minnesota is at or below it (see all states ranked).
- The busiest poor-rated bridge in the state is I 35W over UP RR Cliff Rd (CSAH32) in Dakota County, carrying about 94,603 vehicles a day.
By the measure that matters most - the most traffic on a poor rating - it is I 35W over UP RR Cliff Rd (CSAH32) in Dakota County, built 1959, carrying about 94,603 vehicles a day. That is a repair-priority flag, not a collapse warning: what a poor rating does and does not mean. See the worst bridge in every state.
Good 56.4% · Fair 39.2% · Poor 4.5% of 13,551 bridges
Bridge conditions by county
Sorted by the number of poor-rated bridges. Click any county for its full bridge list.
The 25 busiest poor-rated bridges in Minnesota
Frequently asked questions
How many bridges in Minnesota are in poor condition?
609 of Minnesota's 13,551 inventoried highway bridges are rated in poor condition (4.5%) in the 2025 National Bridge Inventory. 'Poor' is FHWA's classification for a bridge whose deck, superstructure, or substructure is rated 4 or lower on the 0-9 scale; it was formerly called 'structurally deficient'.
Are the poor-rated bridges in Minnesota safe to drive on?
A poor rating flags advanced deterioration that needs repair or close monitoring; it does not by itself mean a bridge is unsafe. Bridges judged unsafe are closed or restricted to lighter loads by the owner. Inspections continue on all open bridges, generally at least every 24 months under the National Bridge Inspection Standards.
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 vintage, reported by the Minnesota DOT.
Background: how bridge ratings work · what "poor" and "structurally deficient" actually mean · how often bridges are inspected.