Illinois Has 2,303 Structurally Deficient Bridges: Report

Americans cross bridges rated as "structurally deficient" 174 million times a day, according to a new analysis of federal data. There are more than 612,000 bridges in the country; of those, 54,259 were rated structurally deficient, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. The totals include more than 2,300 structurally deficient bridges here in Illinois.

Inspectors rate bridge decks and support structures on a scale of zero to nine for deterioration and remedial action. A rating of nine means the bridge is in “excellent” condition. A rating of four or below means a bridge is classified as structurally deficient and in need of repair.

Illinois ranked 25th in the country in highest percentage of bridges deemed to be in poor condition and fifth-highest based on the actual number of such bridges.

In Illinois, there were 2,303 structurally deficient bridges, the analysis found. That accounts for 8.6 percent of all bridges in the state. Illinois has identified needed repairs on 2,642 bridges and estimated it would cost $9.6 billion to fix them.

Cook County has some of the most-traveled structurally deficient bridges in the state (as well as in the country):

• The northbound and southbound I-53 bridges over Kirchoff Road, built in 1963: 149,800 crossings daily
• Lake Shore Drive over the Chicago River, built in 1937: 123,500 crossings daily
• I-90/94 northbound over Wells Street, built in 1962: 116,750 crossing sdaily
• Lake Shore Drive over Wilson Avenue, built in 1933: 102,700 crossings daily
• Lake Shore Drive over Lawrence Avenue, built in 1933: 98,100 crossings daily

Other heavily traveled deficient bridges in the state include:

• DuPage County: 1-290 over Salt Creek (built in 1970, 143,700 daily crossings) and I-55 over Lemont Road (built in 1960, 141,500 crossings daily)
• Will County: I-55 over Joliet Road (built in 1955, 98,400 crossings daily)
• St. Clair County: Poplar Street Bridge (built in 1963, 82,900 crossings daily)

In Illinois, $9.6 billion in proposed bridge work on 2,642 separate structures includes projects including total bridge replacement, widening, rehabilitation and deck rehabilitation/replacement.

In 21 states nationwide, at least 9 percent of bridges were rated structurally deficient, the analysis found. If placed end-to-end, the number of such bridges could stretch more than 1,200 miles — nearly the distance between Miami and New York City.

On average, those bridges were built 67 years ago, when Harry Truman was president. Non-deficient bridges were 27 years younger on average.

Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and New York have the most structurally deficient bridges, the analysis found.

The Federal Highway Administration told NBC News in a statement, that the report "underscores the need for investment in our nation's infrastructure."

"It also highlights the importance of streamlining the permitting process, so that the projects that are funded can move forward without undue delay," the agency said.

The road and transportation group that conducted the analysis is a non-partisan federation that aims to "aggressively grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment" in order to meet demand for safe and efficient travel.

Alison Premo Black, chief economist for the group, said in a release that it would take 37 years to remedy every bridge at the current pace of repair or replacement. An infrastructure package aimed at modernizing the interstate system would benefit the economy both in the short and long term, she said.

Traffic bottlenecks cost the trucking industry alone more than $60 billion a year in lost productivity and fuel. That “increases the cost of everything we make, buy or export," she said.

Find the full the American Road & Transportation Builders Association 2018 Deficient Bridge Report here.

President Donald Trump spoke about the nation's crumbling infrastructure during the State of the Union on Tuesday night. During his campaign, he pledged to spend $1 trillion to rebuild America's roads and bridges.

Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images