There are 26,588 bridges in the state, with 2,216 (8%) classified as structurally deficient. 1,971 bridges (7%) are functionally obsolete. The state spent $3.63 billion on bridge construction over 5 years, compared to the national average of 29% of contract awards. It is estimated that it would cost $9.4 billion to repair 2,872 bridges in the state. The document provides data on rural and urban bridges, including numbers, sizes, daily crossings, and numbers of structurally deficient bridges. A table lists the top 10 most traveled structurally deficient bridges, including their locations and daily crossings.

1. © 2015 The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of
ARTBA.
Highlights from FHWA’s 2014 National Bridge Inventory Data:
 Of the 26,588 bridges in the state, 2,216 bridges, or 8% are classified as structurally deficient.
This means one or more of the key bridge elements, such as the deck, superstructure or
substructure, is considered to be in “poor” or worse condition.1
 There are 1,971 bridges, or 7% of all state bridges, classified as functionally obsolete. This
means the bridge does not meet design standards that are in line with current practice.
 State and local contract awards for bridge construction totaled $3.63 billion over the past five
years, 27 percent of highway and bridge contract awards, compared to a national average of 29
percent.
 Since 2004, 2,574 new bridges have been constructed in the state and 395 bridges have
undergone major reconstruction.
 The state estimates that it would cost approximately $9.4 billion to fix a total of 2,872 bridges in
the state.2
Bridge Inventory:
All Bridges Structurally deficient Bridges
Type of Bridge
Total
Number
Area (sq.
meters)
Daily
Crossings
Total
Number
Area (sq.
meters)
Daily
Crossings
Rural Bridges
Interstate 875 747,422 8,532,925 51 39,143 403,175
Other principal arterial 836 505,106 3,790,375 44 29,779 207,625
Minor arterial 1,478 688,891 3,740,225 131 100,947 299,900
Major collector 3,648 1,128,705 3,559,985 230 98,621 239,600
Minor collector 827 182,572 304,250 56 11,481 22,150
Local 12,164 1,978,002 1,473,288 1,070 117,104 103,244
Urban Bridges
Interstate 1,417 2,831,451 58,010,875 83 282,643 2,072,475
Other freeway 178 237,203 5,526,500 11 15,810 244,800
Principal arterial 1,425 2,069,593 29,990,025 136 259,439 2,682,825
Minor arterial 1,331 1,248,420 12,998,543 117 139,063 1,220,525
Collector 1,070 757,637 5,112,375 110 107,541 608,875
Rural 1,339 487,063 1,351,136 177 57,195 146,466
Total 26,588 12,862,066 134,390,502 2,216 1,258,768 8,251,660
1
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a bridge is classified as structurally deficient if the condition rating for the deck,
superstructure, substructure or culvert and retaining walls is rated 4 or below or if the bridge receives an appraisal rating of 2 or less for
structural condition or waterway adequacy. During inspections, the condition of a variety of bridge elements are rated on a scale of 0 (failed
condition) to 9 (excellent condition). A rating of 4 is considered “poor” condition and the individual element displays signs of advanced section
loss, deterioration, spalling or scour.
2
This data is provided by bridge owners as part of the FHWA data and is required for any bridge eligible for the Highway Bridge Replacement
and Rehabilitation Program. However, for some states this amount is very low and likely not an accurate reflection of current costs.
State Bridge Profile
Illinois

2. © 2015 The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of
ARTBA.
Proposed bridge work:
Type of Work Number Cost (millions) Daily Crossings Area (sq. meters)
Bridge replacement 1,850 $8,245.3 12,274,154 1,402,950
Widening & rehabilitation 311 $366.6 4,070,605 360,473
Rehabilitation 485 $502.4 5,732,492 504,267
Deck rehabilitation/replacement 66 $138.3 3,868,175 156,377
Other work 160 $183.3 2,067,691 249,941
Top 10 Most Traveled Structurally Deficient Bridges in the State:
County
Year
Built
Daily
Crossings
Type of Bridge Location
DuPage 1960 146,000 Urban Interstate I-55 over Lemont Road
DuPage 1970 131,400 Urban Interstate I-290 over Salt Creek
St. Clair 1963 114,100 Urban Interstate
I-55/SR 64/SR 70 over the Mississippi River (Poplar Street
Bridge)
Will 1955 102,100 Urban Interstate I-55 over Joliet Road
Cook 1933 96,800
Urban other
principal arterial
Lake Shore Drive over Wilson Avenue
Cook 1933 92,500
Urban other
principal arterial
Lake Shore Drive over Lawrence Avenue
Cook 1958 63,650 Urban Interstate I90 EB (NW Toll) over IL-62 (Oakton Street)
Cook 1958 63,650 Urban Interstate I90 WB (Nw Toll) over IL-62 (Oakton Street)
Cook 1965 61,700 Urban Interstate I-55 EB over the Martin Luther King Drive Ramp
Cook 1965 61,700 Urban Interstate I-55 WB over the Martin Luther King Drive Ramp
Sources: All data is from the 2014 National Bridge Inventory, released by the Federal Highway Administration in January 2015.
Note that specific conditions on bridge may have changed as a result of recent work. Cost estimates of bridge work provided as
part of the data and have been adjusted to 2014$ for inflation and estimated project costs. Contract awards data is for state
and local government awards and comes from McGraw Hill. Note that additional bridge investment may be a part of other
contract awards if a smaller bridge project is included with a highway project, and that would not be accounted for in the total
in this profile.